泪腺 (lèi xiàn) — lacrimal gland | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

lacrimal gland

Examples

泪腺。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le wǒ de lèi xiàn.
The doctor examined my lacrimal glands.
泪腺，。
Tā de lèi xiàn shòu le shāng, wú fǎ zhèng cháng fēn mì yǎn lèi.
His lacrimal gland was injured and couldn't produce tears normally.
泪腺。
Rén lèi de lèi xiàn wèi yú yǎn jing de shàng fāng.
The human lacrimal gland is located above the eye.

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.

泪 means tear and 腺 means gland; together they name the gland that makes tears.

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 淚; 泪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

戾

戾lì淚lèi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 淚 uses 水 (water) and 戾 for sound; this describes 淚, not 泪.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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