红血球 (hóng xuè qiú) — red blood cell

Definition

noun

red blood cell

Measure word · 个

红血球，。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le wǒ de hóng xuè qiú, jié guǒ hěn zhèng cháng.
The doctor checked my red blood cells, and the results were normal.
红血球。
hóng xuè qiú De shù liàng guò shǎo huì yǐn qǐ pín xuè.
A low count of red blood cells can cause anemia.
红血球。
Gǔ suǐ fù zé zhì zào xīn de hóng xuè qiú.
The bone marrow is responsible for producing new red blood cells.

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.

血球blood cell

偏正Modifier + head

红 gives the color of the whole 血球, a 血球, for red blood cell.

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 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

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

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

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

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

求

Same sound today

球 is built from 玉, meaning jade, and 求, which gives the sound.