耳鼓 (ěr gǔ) — (anatomy) eardrum, tympanic membrane

Definition

Literary/anatomical term for the eardrum (tympanic membrane). In everyday speech, 鼓膜 is more common; 耳鼓 leans toward medical or written contexts.

noun
(anatomy) eardrumtympanic membrane
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 耳鼓，。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de ěr gǔ, fā xiàn yǒu xiē fā yán.
    The doctor examined her eardrum and found some inflammation.
  • 耳鼓。
    Jù dà de bào zhà shēng kě néng zhèn pò ěr gǔ.
    A huge explosion sound could rupture the eardrum.
  • 耳鼓。
    Yóu yǒng shí ěr duo jìn shuǐ róng yì yǐn qǐ ěr gǔ gǎn rǎn.
    Water getting into the ear while swimming can easily cause eardrum infections.

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.

耳ěrear
鼓gǔdrum

耳 (ear) and 鼓 (drum) name the drum-like membrane in the ear.

Characters in this word

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

耳 is drawn as a picture of an ear.

Open 耳 →

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

  • 壴壴zhùdrum
  • 支支zhīhand holding drumstick

鼓 combines 壴, a drum, with 支, a hand holding a drumstick, so the character pictures a drum being struck.

Open 鼓 →

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