TongTong
Sign in

止痛剂 (zhǐ tòng jì) — pain reliever

Definition

noun
pain reliever
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 止痛剂。
    Zhè zhǒng zhǐ tòng jì duì tóu téng hěn yǒu xiào.
    This pain reliever is very effective for headaches.
  • 止痛剂。
    Yī shēng ràng wǒ chī zhè zhǒng zhǐ tòng jì.
    The doctor told me to take this pain reliever.
  • 止痛剂，。
    Chī le zhǐ tòng jì yǐ hòu, jiù bù téng le.
    After taking the pain reliever, the pain went away.

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.

止痛stop pain
止zhǐstop痛tòngpain
动宾Verb + object
剂jìagent/preparation

止痛 says it stops pain, and 剂 names a prepared substance, so 止痛剂 means a pain-relieving agent.

Characters in this word

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

止 was drawn as a footprint pointing up, with three toes and a sole, originally showing a foot.

Open 止 →

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
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng痛tòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 疒 part means illness, and 甬 gives the sound; together they form 痛, meaning pain or hurt.

Open 痛 →

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 →
Appears in
Medicine & Treatment

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.