小腿 (xiǎo tuǐ) — lower leg (from knee to ankle) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

lower leg (from knee to ankle)

Measure word · 条

Examples

小腿。
Tā pǎo bù shí xiǎo tuǐ chōu jīn le.
His calf cramped up while running.
小腿。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le yí xià wǒ de xiǎo tuǐ.
The doctor examined my lower leg.
小腿，。
Tā de xiǎo tuǐ hěn jiē shi, yí dìng shì jīng cháng yùn dòng.
Her calves are very strong; she must work out often.

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.

Small and leg combine to name the lower part of a leg.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

八八bāto divide; to separate
丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

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

肉肉ròuflesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

退

退tuì腿tuǐ

Same sound today

The 肉 part is flesh, showing a body part; the 退 part gives the sound.

Appears in

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