嗓子眼 (sǎng zǐ yǎn) — (colloquial) the narrow part of the throat; the… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Colloquial for the narrow passage in the throat where food or small objects get stuck. More vivid and everyday than the plain 喉咙 (hóulóng).

noun

(colloquial) the narrow part of the throatthe throat passage (where food or foreign objects may get stuck)

Examples

，嗓子眼。
Tā chī dé tài kuài, shí wù kǎ zài le sǎng zǐ yǎn.
He ate too fast and the food got stuck in his throat.
，嗓子眼。
Tā jǐn zhāng dé shuō bù chū huà, hǎo xiàng yǒu shén me dōng xī dǔ zài sǎng zǐ yǎn.
She was so nervous she couldn't speak, as if something were blocking her throat.
，嗓子眼。
Yī shēng ràng wǒ zhāng kāi zuǐ, kàn le kàn wǒ de sǎng zǐ yǎn.
The doctor asked me to open my mouth and looked at my throat.

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.

嗓子throat

嗓sǎngthroat子zǐ

眼yǎnhole/opening

嗓子 is the throat and 眼 is an opening, so it names the narrow throat passage.

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.

口桑嗓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

桑

桑sāng嗓sǎng

Same sound today

嗓 pairs 口 (mouth) with 桑 (sāng), which gives the character its sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

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

目艮眼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

目目mùeye

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn眼yǎn

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

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

Appears in

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