会厌 (huì yàn) — epiglottis | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

会厌 (huìyàn) is the medical/anatomical term for the 'epiglottis' — the flap of tissue at the root of the tongue that covers the windpipe when you swallow.

noun

epiglottis

Examples

会厌。
Yī shēng yòng hóu jìng jiǎn chá le wǒ de huì yàn.
The doctor examined my epiglottis with a laryngoscope.
会厌。
huì yàn Fā yán shí tūn yàn huì fēi cháng téng tòng.
When the epiglottis is inflamed, swallowing becomes very painful.
会厌。
huì yàn De zhǔ yào gōng néng shì fáng zhǐ shí wù jìn rù qì guǎn.
The main function of the epiglottis is to prevent food from entering the trachea.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

合合héto meet

Sound part声符shēngfú

𡆧

𡆧𡆧會huì

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 厭; 厌 is its simplified writing.

厂猒厭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

厂厂chǎng

Sound part声符shēngfú

猒

猒yàn厭yàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 厭 combines 厂 as the meaning part with 猒 as the sound part; the simplified 厌 is a later abbreviation.

Open 厌 →