Meaning
粉末 refers to any substance in powder form, consisting of very fine particles. It can describe everything from cosmetic powder to industrial powders, medicinal powders, or dust. The word combines 粉 (powder/flour) with 末 (end/powder/dust) to emphasize the fine, particulate nature of the substance.
Usage
粉末 is commonly used in technical, scientific, and everyday contexts to describe powdered substances. It's more formal than just using 粉 alone. Often appears in compound terms describing specific types of powder (洗衣粉末 laundry powder, 金属粉末 metal powder). The word is neutral in register and appropriate for both spoken and written language.
Examples
- 01把这些药片磨成粉末，更容易吞咽。, .Grind these pills into powder; they'll be easier to swallow.
- 02这种洗衣粉末去污效果很好。.This laundry powder is very effective at removing stains.
Characters
Measure words
- 种一种粉末
- 些一些粉末
Common collocations
- 金属粉末metal powder
- 奶粉末milk powder
- 粉末状powdery, in powder form
- 磨成粉末grind into powder
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters originally relate to fine particles. 粉 contains the rice radical (米) and originally referred to rice flour. 末 depicts the top/end of a tree, extending to mean fine dust or the smallest particles.