平滑肌 (píng huá jī) — smooth muscle (involuntary muscle found in inte…

Definition

noun

smooth muscle (involuntary muscle found in internal organs)

平滑肌。
píng huá jī Shì rén tǐ nèi yì zhǒng zhòng yào de jī ròu zǔ zhī.
Smooth muscle is an important type of muscle tissue in the human body.
平滑肌。
Yī shēng fā xiàn tā de píng huá jī gōng néng chū xiàn le wèn tí.
The doctor found a problem with his smooth muscle function.
平滑肌。
Wèi bì de píng huá jī bāng zhù xiāo huà shí wù.
The smooth muscle in the stomach wall helps digest food.

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.

平滑smooth

联合Side by side

平滑 describes a smooth surface and 肌 denotes muscle, together naming smooth muscle.

Characters in this word

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

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

骨

骨gǔ滑huá

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

滑 pairs 水 (water) with 骨, which gives the sound.

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

⺼Written in full as肉ròu

Sound part声符shēngfú

几

Same sound today

In 肌, the left part ⺼ is the flesh form, matching muscle or flesh, while the right part 几 supplies the sound.