梗塞 (gěng sè) — to block, to clog

Definition

Used for physical blockages — pipes, sewers, blood vessels — where something is stopped from flowing through. In medicine it specifically means 'infarction' (tissue death from blocked blood flow).

verb
to blockto clog

Examples

  • 梗塞。
    Xià shuǐ dào bèi lā jī gěng sè le.
    The sewer was clogged with garbage.
  • 梗塞，。
    Tā de xuè guǎn gěng sè le, xū yào lì kè zhì liáo.
    His blood vessel is blocked and needs immediate treatment.
  • 梗塞，。
    Zhè xiē zá zhì huì gěng sè guǎn dào, bì xū qīng lǐ.
    These impurities will clog the pipes and must be cleaned out.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

梗gěngblockage
塞sāistop

梗 and 塞 both convey blocking, together meaning to block or clog.

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mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
更
更gèng梗gěng(r)
Same sound today

梗 has 木 on the left and 更 on the right. The 木 side shows it was a type of plant, while 更 gives the sound.

Open 梗 →

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 工工gōngtwo items
  • 廾廾gǒngtwo hands

塞 combines 宀 (house), 工 (two items), and 廾 (two hands), showing hands stuffing items into a house.

Open 塞 →

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