癌细胞 (ái xì bāo) — cancer cell | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cancer cell

Measure word · 个

Examples

癌细胞。
Yī shēng tōng guò jiǎn chá fā xiàn le ái xì bāo.
The doctor discovered cancer cells through examination.
癌细胞。
Zhè zhǒng yào wù néng yǒu xiào shā sǐ ái xì bāo.
This medicine can effectively kill cancer cells.
癌细胞。
ái xì bāo De kuò sàn sù dù fēi cháng kuài.
Cancer cells spread very quickly.

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.

癌áicancer

细胞cell

细xìfine胞bāosac

偏正Modifier + head

癌 (cancer) marks a 细胞 (cell) as cancerous.

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.

疒嵒癌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nèdisease

Sound part声符shēngfú

嵒

嵒yán癌

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

癌 combines 疒 (disease) with 嵒, a component used for its sound.

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

囟

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

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

月包胞

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròuflesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

包

包bāo胞bāo

Same sound today

胞 pairs 月 (flesh) with 包, a shape representing a pregnant figure, to point to the membrane enclosing a fetus.

Appears in

Biology Illness & Symptoms

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