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溃烂 (kuì làn) — to fester; to ulcerate

Definition

A medical/clinical verb meaning tissue has broken down into an ulcer — used for wounds or skin, not for food rotting. Stronger than 发炎 (inflammation) and describes actual tissue destruction.

verb
to festerto ulcerate

Examples

  • 溃烂。
    Tā de shāng kǒu yǐ jīng kāi shǐ kuì làn le.
    His wound has already started to fester.
  • 溃烂。
    Pí fū cháng qī shòu cháo róng yì fā shēng kuì làn.
    Skin that stays damp for a long time is prone to ulceration.
  • 溃烂。
    Yī shēng yào jǐn kuài qīng lǐ kuì làn de zǔ zhī.
    The doctor needs to clean the ulcerated tissue as soon as possible.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

溃kuìulcerate
烂lànrot

溃 and 烂 both describe breaking down and rotting, together meaning to fester.

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 潰; 溃 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
貴
貴guì潰kuì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 潰 pairs 氵 (water) with 貴 for sound; the simplified 溃 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the old sound part.

Open 溃 →

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 爛; 烂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán爛làn
Same sound today

The form 爛 pairs 火 (fire) with 闌 as the sound part; this explains 爛, not the simplified 烂.

Open 烂 →
Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

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