囊肿 (náng zhǒng) — cyst | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cyst

Examples

囊肿。
Yī shēng shuō tā yǒu yí gè náng zhǒng.
The doctor said he has a cyst.
囊肿。
Zhè ge náng zhǒng xū yào shǒu shù qiē chú.
This cyst needs to be surgically removed.
囊肿，。
náng zhǒng Tōng cháng shì liáng xìng de, bú yòng tài dān xīn.
Cysts are usually benign, so don't worry too much.

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.

肿zhǒngswelling

「囊」 means sac and 「肿」 means swelling, so it is a swelling that forms a sac.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

㯻㯻㯻bag

Sound part声符shēngfú

襄

襄xiāng囊náng

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

囊 is made from 㯻, a tied bag with items inside, plus an abbreviated form of 襄 that gives the sound.

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 腫; 肿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

肉肉ròumeat, flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

重

重zhòng腫zhǒng

Same sound today

The traditional form 腫 combines 肉 (flesh) with 重 as a sound part; the simplified 肿 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

Illness & Symptoms

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