神曲 (Shén qǔ) — (traditional Chinese medicine) medicated leaven, a fermented herbal preparation used for digestive issues

Definition

A traditional Chinese medicine: fermented herbal preparation (medicated leaven) prescribed for indigestion and digestive problems. Pinyin is Shén qǔ (two 4th-tone syllables), not shénqǔ the famous Dante poem.

noun
(traditional Chinese medicine) medicated leaven, a fermented herbal preparation used for digestive issues

Examples

  • 神曲，。
    Yī shēng gěi wǒ kāi le Shén qǔ, ràng wǒ fàn hòu chī.
    The doctor prescribed me medicated leaven and told me to take it after meals.
  • 神曲。
    Shén qǔ Duì xiāo huà bù liáng hěn yǒu bāng zhù.
    Medicated leaven is very helpful for indigestion.
  • 神曲。
    Nǐ qù zhōng yào diàn mǎi yì xiē Shén qǔ ba.
    Go buy some medicated leaven at the Chinese medicine pharmacy.

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.

神shénspirit
曲qǔyeast

神 (spirit) + 曲 (fermented block) names a traditional medicated leaven.

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

曲 is drawn as a bent object, matching the meaning 'bend'.

Open 曲 →

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