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括约肌 (kuò yuē jī) — sphincter

Definition

Technical medical term for a 'sphincter' — a ring-shaped muscle that tightens to close a body opening. A specialized, clinical noun used in medical contexts.

noun
sphincter

Examples

  • 括约肌。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le bìng rén de kuò yuē jī.
    The doctor examined the patient's sphincter.
  • 括约肌。
    kuò yuē jī De shōu suō gōng néng duì kòng zhì pái biàn hěn zhòng yào.
    The contractile function of the sphincter is important for controlling defecation.
  • 括约肌。
    Gāng mén kuò yuē jī de sǔn shāng kě néng dǎo zhì shī jìn.
    Damage to the anal sphincter can lead to incontinence.

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.

括约constrict
括kuòbind约yuēconstrain
联合Coordinate
肌jīmuscle

括 and 约 both convey binding or constraining, and 肌 names the muscle that does this.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑括kuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

括 combines 手, a hand, with 𠯑, which gives the sound.

Open 括 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 約; 约 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo約yuē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 約 uses 糸, a rope, for its meaning and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 约 is a later shorthand.

Open 约 →

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
几jǐ肌jī
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.

Open 肌 →
Appears in
Organs & Anatomy

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