维他命 (wéi tā mìng) — vitamin | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A transliteration of "vitamin" used in everyday and commercial contexts. Less common in scientific or medical writing than 维生素.

noun

vitamin

Measure word · 种

维他命。
Wǒ měi tiān chī yí piàn wéi tā mìng.
I take one vitamin pill every day.
维他命。
Zhè zhǒng wéi tā mìng duì tóu fa hěn hǎo.
This kind of vitamin is good for hair.
维他命。
Nǐ yīng gāi duō bǔ chōng yì xiē wéi tā mìng.
You should supplement more vitamins.

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 維; 维 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìthread

Sound part声符shēngfú

唯

Same sound today

In the traditional form 維, 糸 marks a thread meaning and 唯 provides the sound; the simplified 维 is a later shortened shape.

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

亻也他

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénman

Sound part声符shēngfú

也

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

他 combines 亻 (a person) with 也, which was chosen for its sound.

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

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

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

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

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