洗衣粉
xǐ yī fěn · HSK 6
washing powder
🧼👕 wash + clothes + powder — literal recipe for laundry detergent
洗 (xǐ) = wash, 衣 (yī) = clothes/garment, 粉 (fěn) = powder. Stack them up: wash-clothes-powder. Each character spells out exactly what the product is and does.
洗 — water radical 氵 + 先 (xiān)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The water radical 氵 indicates the meaning (washing with water), while 先 supplies the sound, originally close to xiǎn/xǐ. The character has long meant 'to wash' or 'rinse,' and by extension 'to cleanse' or 'wash away.'
粉 — rice 米 + divide 分
A semantic-phonetic compound: 米 (rice/grain) gives the meaning, while 分 (fēn, 'divide') hints at the sound. It originally referred to rice flour or finely ground powder, then extended to any powder and to the pale pinkish color of such powders.