毒蜘蛛 (dú zhī zhū) — poisonous spider, venomous spider

Definition

noun
poisonous spidervenomous spider
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 毒蜘蛛，。
    Zhè zhǒng dú zhī zhū de dú xìng fēi cháng qiáng, bèi yǎo hòu bì xū lì jí jiù yī.
    This kind of venomous spider is extremely toxic; you must seek medical attention immediately after being bitten.
  • 毒蜘蛛，。
    Tā zài huā yuán lǐ fā xiàn le yì zhī dú zhī zhū, gǎn jǐn yòng píng zi bǎ tā zhào zhù le.
    He found a poisonous spider in the garden and quickly covered it with a jar.
  • 毒蜘蛛，。
    Yán jiū rén yuán zhèng zài fēn xī zhè zhǒng dú zhī zhū de dú yè chéng fèn, yǐ kāi fā xīn de kàng dú xuè qīng.
    Researchers are analyzing the venom composition of this poisonous spider to develop new antivenom.

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.

毒dúpoison
蜘蛛spider
蜘zhī蛛zhū

毒 means poison, while 蜘 and 蛛 only make 蜘蛛 as a spider name, so the whole names a poisonous spider.

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
屮屮chèvegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
毐
毐ǎi毒dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

Open 毒 →

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
虫虫chónginsect; insect-like creature
Sound part声符shēngfú
知
知zhī蜘
Same sound today

蜘 uses 虫 for an insect-like creature and 知 for its sound.

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
虫虫chónginsect
Sound part声符shēngfú
朱
朱zhū蛛zhū
Same sound today

蛛 pairs 虫 (insect) with 朱, which gives the sound; it grew from an older drawing of a spider.

Open 蛛 →

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