卫生棉 (wèi shēng mián) — sanitary napkin (for menstruation) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Standard word for a sanitary napkin (menstrual pad), measured with 片. 卫生棉条 is the related term for a tampon — same idea, different form.

noun

sanitary napkin (for menstruation)

Measure word · 片

Examples

卫生棉。
Tā zài chāo shì mǎi le yí dà bāo wèi shēng mián.
She bought a large pack of sanitary napkins at the supermarket.
卫生棉，。
Zhè zhǒng wèi shēng mián xī shōu xìng hěn hǎo, yòng qǐ lái hěn shū fu.
This type of sanitary napkin has good absorbency and feels very comfortable.
卫生棉，。
Yào diàn lǐ yě yǒu yī yòng wèi shēng mián, dàn wǒ yòng bú shàng.
The pharmacy also has medical cotton wool, but I don't need it.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

卫生hygiene

卫wèiprotect生shēnglife

动宾Verb + object

卫生 means hygiene and 棉 means cotton, so the word refers to hygienic cotton.

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 衛; 卫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

韋

韋wéi衛wèi

Same sound today

The traditional form 衛 is built from 行 as the sense part and 韋 as the sound part; the simplified 卫 is a shorthand.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

屮屮chèbud
一一yīground

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Toiletries & Cosmetics

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.