白质 (bái zhì) — white matter (brain/spinal cord tissue)

Definition

noun
white matter (brain/spinal cord tissue)

Examples

  • 白质。
    Dà nǎo de bái zhì bù fen fù zé chuán dì shén jīng xìn hào.
    The white matter part of the brain is responsible for transmitting neural signals.
  • 白质。
    bái zhì Sǔn shāng huì yǐng xiǎng yùn dòng gōng néng.
    White matter damage can affect motor function.
  • MRI白质。
    MRI jiǎn chá kě yǐ qīng chǔ dì xiǎn shì bái zhì de jié gòu.
    MRI examination can clearly show the structure of white matter.

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.

白báiwhite
质zhìmatter

The idea of 白 (white) plus 质 (matter) gives the pale tissue of the brain.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

白 is thought to picture either an acorn or a human head.

Open 白 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 質; 质 is its simplified writing.

  • 斦斦yín
  • 貝貝bèi

The traditional form 質 is made up of 貝 and 斦; this describes 質, not the simplified 质.

Open 质 →

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