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疙瘩 (gē da) — (on skin) pimple, bump, lump; (in rope or string) knot; (figurative) worry, problem, hang-up

Definition

疙瘩 (gēda) is a small, raised lump: a pimple on the skin, a knot in a string, or figuratively a nagging worry in the heart. 块 is just a generic chunk/piece; 疙瘩 implies a small, stubborn bump.

noun
(on skin) pimplebumplump(in rope or string) knot(figurative) worryproblemhang-up
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 疙瘩？
    Tā liǎn shàng nà ge gē da shén me shí hou cái néng xiāo xià qù?
    When will that pimple on his face go away?
  • 疙瘩，。
    Zhè ge gē da dǎ dé tài jǐn le, wǒ jiě bù kāi.
    This knot is tied too tight — I can't untie it.
  • 疙瘩，。
    Zhè jiàn shì chéng le tā xīn lǐ de yí kuài gē da, yì zhí fàng bú xià.
    This matter became a worry in his heart that he just couldn't let go of.

Origin

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
疒疒nèsickness
Sound part声符shēngfú
乞
乞qǐ疙
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape of 疙 comes from 疒, which shows sickness, and 乞, a sound part.

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
荅
荅dá瘩
Same sound today

瘩 is made of 疒 (illness) and 荅, which gives the sound dá.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Illness & Symptoms

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