生石膏

shēngshígāo

noun

Meanings

1 raw gypsum
2 calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO₄·2H₂O)
3 (traditional Chinese medicine) unprocessed gypsum used to clear heat

Characters

raw / unprocessed

Examples

中医常用生石膏来清热泻火。

Zhōngyī chángyòng shēngshígāo lái qīngrè xièhuǒ.

Traditional Chinese medicine often uses raw gypsum to clear heat and reduce inflammation.

生石膏煅烧后变成熟石膏。

Shēngshígāo duànshāo hòu biànchéng shúshígāo.

After calcination, raw gypsum becomes plaster of Paris (cooked gypsum).

Tips

culture

生 (shēng, raw / uncooked) contrasts with 熟 (shú, cooked / processed). 生石膏 is the unprocessed mineral CaSO₄·2H₂O; 熟石膏 (shúshígāo, plaster of Paris) is the calcined form CaSO₄·½H₂O. The same 生/熟 distinction shows up across Chinese herbology — e.g. 生地 vs. 熟地 (raw vs. processed rehmannia root).

Stroke Order

生 shēng

石 shí

膏 gāo