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受精 (shòu jīng) — to be fertilized, to be impregnated

Definition

Biology term for an egg being fertilized (passive — the egg 受, the sperm 精 contributes). Used in reproductive science and IVF contexts like 试管受精.

verb
to be fertilizedto be impregnated

Examples

  • 受精，。
    Zhè kē jī dàn yǐ jīng shòu jīng le, kě yǐ fū xiǎo jī.
    This egg has been fertilized and can hatch chicks.
  • ，。
    Zhè ge xì bāo yǐ jīng shòu le jīng, zhèng zài fēn liè.
    This cell has been fertilized and is dividing.
  • 受精。
    Shì guǎn shòu jīng jì shù bāng zhù le xǔ duō bú yùn de fū fù.
    In vitro fertilization technology has helped many infertile couples.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

受shòureceive
精jīngessence

受 'receive' and 精 'essence' combine to mean becoming fertilized.

Characters in this word

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

受 possibly combines 爪 and 又 as hands with 舟 as a boat, to show handing something over.

Open 受 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng精jīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

精 pairs 米 (rice) with 青, which gives the sound; the character originally meant polished rice.

Open 精 →
Appears in
Biology

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