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尻 (kāo) — (bound form) rump; buttocks

Definition

A literary/anatomical bound form for 'rump, buttocks.' Almost always written as part of the compound 尻骨 (kāogǔ, 'tailbone / coccyx'); rarely used alone.

bound form
rumpbuttocks

Examples

  • 尻。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de kāo gǔ.
    The doctor examined his tailbone.
  • 尻。
    kāo Gǔ bù wèi yǒu qīng wēi téng tòng.
    There is mild pain in the tailbone area.
  • 尻。
    Mǎ de kāo gǔ xū yào bǎo hù.
    The horse's tailbone needs protection.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
尸尸shībody
Sound part声符shēngfú
九
九jiǔ尻kāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An early form drew a person with the buttocks highlighted. In 尻, 尸 marks the body and 九 gives the sound.

Appears in
Body Parts

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