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标本 (biāo běn) — specimen; sample (for scientific or medical study); (in traditional Chinese medicine) root cause and symptoms of a disease

Definition

标本 (biāoběn) is a 'specimen/sample' for scientific or medical study, like an animal in a museum or a blood sample. In traditional Chinese medicine it means the root cause AND symptoms of a disease treated together (标本兼治).

noun
specimensample (for scientific or medical study)(in traditional Chinese medicine) root cause and symptoms of a disease
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 标本。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ zhǎn chū le xǔ duō zhēn guì de dòng wù biāo běn.
    The museum displayed many precious animal specimens.
  • 标本。
    Yī shēng rèn wéi zhè ge bìng xū yào biāo běn jiān zhì.
    The doctor believes this disease requires treating both the root cause and the symptoms.
  • 标本。
    Yán jiū rén yuán cóng huàn zhě shēn shàng cǎi jí le xuè yè biāo běn.
    The researchers collected blood samples from the patients.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào標biāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

Open 标 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

本 adds a stroke at the bottom of a tree shape to mark the roots, giving the sense of foundation or original.

Open 本 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Science (General)Traditional Medicine & Philosophy

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