plic/plex
plɪk / plɛks
Complicated and simple differ by how many folds
The picture A hand folding one sheet of paper: one fold and you still see inside, many folds and you cannot. plic folds things over each other; struct stacks them up.
Where the picture shows up in plic/plex
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Made into two layers
Can you make a duplicate of this key?
kæn juː meɪk ə ˈduːplɪkət əv ðɪs kiː
Could you cut me a copy of this key?
One key clamped in a machine while an identical second one is cut from it.
du- means two — folded in two is a duplicate.
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Folded so often you cannot see in
The return form is a bit complicated.
ðə rɪˈtɜːrn fɔːrm ɪz ə bɪt ˈkɑːmplɪkeɪtɪd
The returns form is a bit of a maze.
A sheet folded over and over until the writing inside cannot be read at all.
com- means together — folded together is complicated.
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Folded onto something
Fill out the application on our website.
fɪl aʊt ðiː ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən ɒn ˈaʊər ˈwɛbsaɪt
Apply through our website.
A sheet with your name on it folded over and pressed onto the post you want.
ad- means toward — folded toward a thing is an application.
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Strands folded into a tangle
The wiring behind this wall is complex.
ðə ˈwaɪrɪŋ bɪˈhaɪnd ðɪs wɔːl ɪz ˈkɑːmplɛks
The wiring behind this wall is a tangle.
Many wires folded over one another until nobody can tell which runs where.
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Folded only once
It is a simple fix, ten minutes.
ɪt ɪz ə ˈsɪmpl fɪks tɛn ˈmɪnɪts
It's an easy fix, ten minutes.
A sheet folded exactly once, leaving one single crease when you open it.
sim- means once — folded once is simple.
All of it in one picture
plic and plex are a hand folding paper. Fold it in two so there is a second identical layer and you have a duplicate; fold it over itself again and again so nobody can see inside and it is complicated. Fold your paper onto the job you want and it is an application; many strands folded together get tangled into something complex; one fold only and the thing is simple. So when you see plic or plex, count the folds.