Definitions

shuāng (noun) frost
shuāng (noun) frosting; white powder coating

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "霜" derives from a pictophonetic principle, combining the semantic radical "雨" which classifies it among atmospheric phenomena with the phonetic component "相" to suggest its pronunciation, thereby directly encoding the idea of frost. Its conceptual core has consistently referred to the ice crystals deposited on surfaces from frozen water vapor, a meaning preserved across literary and common use. Over time, while retaining this primary meteorological definition, the term developed secondary metaphorical layers in classical texts, often applied to describe hair whitened by age or to convey a sense of coldness and brittleness, illustrating a semantic expansion that adhered closely to the physical properties of frost itself without obscuring its original sense. The integrity of its compositional elements has remained unaltered, reflecting a continuous and straightforward relationship between its form and its fundamental meaning.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

清晨地上结了。

Qīngchén dìshàng jié shuāng le.

Frost formed on the ground in the early morning.

冬天很常见。

Dōngtiān shuāng hěn chángjiàn.

Frost is very common in winter.

降之后天气更冷。

Shuāngjiàng zhīhòu tiānqì gèng lěng.

The weather gets colder after Frost's Descent.

她的态度像冰一样冷。

Tā de tàidù xiàng bīngshuāng yīyàng lěng.

Her attitude is as cold as ice and frost.

窗子上覆盖着一层薄

Chuāngzi shàng fùgàizhe yī céng báo shuāng.

A thin layer of frost covers the window.

她每天使用面护肤。

Tā měitiān shǐyòng miànshuāng hùfū.

She uses facial cream every day to care for her skin.

岁月的风在他的脸上留下了痕迹。

Suìyuè de fēngshuāng zài tā de liǎn shàng liú xiàle hénjì.

The hardships of time have left marks on his face.

摧残了花园里的娇嫩花朵。

Yán shuāng cuīcánle huāyuán lǐ de jiāonèn huāduǒ.

The severe frost damaged the delicate flowers in the garden.