肠道 (cháng dào) — intestines, gut | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

intestinesgut

Measure word · 条

肠道。
Wǒ men de cháng dào fù zé xī shōu yíng yǎng.
Our intestines are responsible for absorbing nutrients.
肠道。
Yī shēng jiàn yì tā duō chī xiān wéi lái qīng lǐ cháng dào.
The doctor advised him to eat more fiber to cleanse his gut.
肠道。
Cháng qī bù liáng yǐn shí xí guàn huì sǔn hài cháng dào jiàn kāng.
Long-term poor eating habits can harm gut health.

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.

肠 (intestine) modifies 道 (tract), naming the intestinal tract.

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 腸; 肠 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

昜

昜yáng腸cháng

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

The traditional form 腸 pairs 肉, the body, with 昜, which gives the sound; the simplified 肠 is a later shorthand.

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

行行xíngstreet

Sound part声符shēngfú

𩠐

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

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

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