垂体 (chuí tǐ) — pituitary gland; hypophysis

Definition

noun

pituitary glandhypophysis

垂体。
chuí tǐ Wèi yú dà nǎo de dǐ bù.
The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain.
垂体。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de chuí tǐ gōng néng.
The doctor examined his pituitary function.
垂体。
chuí tǐ Fēn mì duō zhǒng zhòng yào de jī sù.
The pituitary gland secretes many important hormones.

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.

“垂” hang + “体” body names a gland that hangs from the brain.

Characters in this word

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

垂 combines 𠂹 and 土 to draw flowers hanging down from a plant.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

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

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.