肺泡 (fèi pào) — pulmonary alveolus; alveolus (of the lungs)

Definition

noun
pulmonary alveolusalveolus (of the lungs)

Examples

  • 肺泡。
    fèi pào Shì fèi bù de zhòng yào jié gòu.
    Alveoli are important structures of the lungs.
  • 肺泡。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le bìng rén de fèi pào gōng néng.
    The doctor examined the patient's alveolar function.
  • 肺泡。
    Xī yān huì sǔn hài fèi pào.
    Smoking damages the alveoli.

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.

肺fèilung
泡pàobubble

肺 names the lung and 泡 names a small bubble or sac; together they denote a pulmonary alveolus.

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
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat; flesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
巿
巿fú肺fèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

肺 combines ⺼, a form of 肉 meaning flesh, with 巿 for the sound.

Open 肺 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo泡pào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泡 combines 氵 (water) and 包, which supplies the sound. It conveys foam.

Open 泡 →

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