天花 (tiān huā) — smallpox | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

smallpox

Examples

天花。
tiān huā Shì yì zhǒng yán zhòng de chuán rǎn bìng.
Smallpox is a serious infectious disease.
天花。
Guò qù hěn duō rén yīn wèi dé tiān huā qù shì le.
In the past, many people died from smallpox.
天花。
Dǎ yì miáo kě yǐ yù fáng tiān huā.
Getting vaccinated can prevent smallpox.

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.

天花 was named from 天 and 花, suggesting a disease sent from heaven with flower-like spots.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

丁dīng天tiān

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

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

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

艹化花

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

化

Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Illness & Symptoms

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