泻药 (xiè yào) — laxative | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

laxative

Measure word · 种

Examples

泻药。
Biàn mì de shí hou kě yǐ chī yì xiē xiè yào.
When constipated, you can take some laxative.
泻药。
Yī shēng jiàn yì tā bú yào jīng cháng yòng xiè yào.
The doctor advised him not to use laxatives frequently.
泻药。
Zhè zhǒng xiè yào de xiào guǒ hěn wēn hé.
This type of laxative has a mild effect.

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.

泻xièpurging

药yàomedicine

泻 (purging) and 药 (medicine) together mean a medicine that purges.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

写

写xiě泻xiè

Same sound today

泻 pairs 水 (water) with 写, which gives the sound xiě.

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 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

艹樂藥

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

樂

樂lè藥yào

Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Appears in

Medicine & Treatment

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