栓剂 (shuān jì) — suppository

Definition

noun
suppository

Examples

  • 栓剂。
    Yī shēng gěi wǒ kāi le zhè zhǒng shuān jì.
    The doctor prescribed this type of suppository for me.
  • 栓剂。
    Zhè zhǒng shuān jì shǐ yòng qǐ lái hěn fāng biàn.
    This kind of suppository is very convenient to use.
  • 栓剂。
    Qǐng bǎ shuān jì fàng zài bīng xiāng lǐ bǎo cún.
    Please store the suppository in the refrigerator.

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.

栓shuānplug
剂jìpreparation

栓 means a plug and 剂 means a medicinal preparation, giving a plug-shaped medicine.

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
全
全quán栓shuān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栓 pairs 木 (wood) with 全 as a sound part; the source describes it as a wooden peg.

Open 栓 →

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 劑; 剂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí劑jì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 劑, 齊 gives the sound and 刂 (刀, a knife) shows the meaning. The simplified 剂 is a later shorthand.

Open 剂 →

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