变形虫 (biàn xíng chóng) — amoeba | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

amoeba

Measure word · 只

变形虫。
Zài xiǎn wēi jìng xià kě yǐ qīng chǔ dì kàn dào biàn xíng chóng de yí dòng.
Under a microscope, you can clearly see the movement of amoebas.
变形虫。
Lǎo shī yòng le jǐ gè biàn xíng chóng lái yǎn shì xì bāo fēn liè de guò chéng.
The teacher used a few amoebas to demonstrate the process of cell division.
变形虫，。
biàn xíng chóng Hé rén yí yàng, yě xū yào chī dōng xī cái néng shēng cún.
Amoebas, like humans, also need to eat to survive.

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.

变形change shape

动宾Verb + object

The sense comes from '变' as change and '形' as shape, with '虫' as creature; a shape-changing creature is an amoeba.

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 變; 变 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

䜌

䜌䜌變biàn

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

The traditional form 變 uses 䜌 as a sound part and 攴 as a meaning part.

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

彡彡shān

Sound part声符shēngfú

井

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蟲; 虫 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 蟲 is the one the reference discusses; 虫 is also a traditional character on its own.