非金属

非金屬
fēijīnshǔ
noun HSK 7-9 #68,633

Meanings

  1. 1 non-metal (chemistry)
  2. 2 non-metallic element

Examples

Tàn, yǎng hé dàn dōu shì fēijīnshǔ.
Carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen are all non-metals.
Fēijīnshǔ yībān bù dǎodiàn.
Non-metals generally do not conduct electricity.
Huàxué kè shang bǎ yuánsù fēn wéi jīnshǔ hé fēijīnshǔ liǎng lèi.
Chemistry class divides elements into metals and non-metals.

Tips

grammar
The prefix ('non- / un-') negates the noun it attaches to and is extremely productive in scientific and formal vocabulary: 非金属 non-metal, 非法 illegal, 非人 inhuman. Pronounce first tone, never confuse with 非常 ('very').
memory
Break it down: (not) + 金属 (metal) = 'not metal.' Classic non-metals from school chemistry: (carbon), (oxygen), (nitrogen), (sulfur), (phosphorus). They sit on the right side of the periodic table and typically don't have metallic shine or conduct electricity well.

Stroke Order

fēi
jīn
shǔ