呼吸道 (hū xī dào) — respiratory tract | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

respiratory tract

Measure word · 条

Examples

呼吸道。
Xī yān duì hū xī dào wēi hài hěn dà.
Smoking is very harmful to the respiratory tract.
呼吸道，。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de hū xī dào, shuō méi yǒu wèn tí.
The doctor examined her respiratory tract and said there was no problem.
呼吸道。
Dài kǒu zhào kě yǐ bǎo hù hū xī dào bú shòu gǎn rǎn.
Wearing a mask can protect the respiratory tract from infection.

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.

呼吸breathing

呼hūexhale吸xīinhale

联合Coordinate

“呼吸” means breathing and “道” is a passage, so the passage for breathing.

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.

口乎呼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

乎

乎hū呼hū

Same sound today

呼 uses 口 (mouth) to show exhaling, calling, or shouting, and 乎 gives the sound.

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

口及吸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

及

及jí吸xī

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

吸 pairs 口 (mouth) with 及, which gives the sound and relates to grabbing, so the shape suggests grabbing through the mouth.

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

行行xíngstreet

止止zhǐfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

𩠐

首shǒu道dào

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

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Appears in

Organs & Anatomy

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