抗菌素 (kàng jūn sù) — antibiotic

Definition

noun
antibiotic
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 抗菌素,。
    Yī shēng gěi wǒ kāi le kàng jūn sù, ràng wǒ chī qī tiān.
    The doctor prescribed an antibiotic and told me to take it for seven days.
  • 抗菌素。
    Zhè zhǒng kàng jūn sù duì xì jūn gǎn rǎn hěn yǒu xiào.
    This antibiotic is very effective against bacterial infections.
  • 抗菌素,。
    Bú yào suí biàn chī kàng jūn sù, yào xiān zī xún yī shēng.
    Don't take antibiotics casually; consult a doctor first.

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.

抗菌resist germs
抗kàngresist菌jūngerm
动宾Verb + object
素sùsubstance

抗菌 means resisting germs, and 素 is a substance: an anti-germ substance.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng抗kàng
Same sound today

抗 is made from 扌, a written form of 手 (hand), and 亢, which gives the sound.

Open 抗 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
囷
囷qūn菌jūn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艹 is a plant sign, and the lower 囷 gives the sound.

Open 菌 →

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

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Open 素 →

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