肺痨 (fèi láo) — tuberculosis (also called consumption)

Definition

noun

tuberculosis (also called consumption)

肺痨，。
Tā dé le fèi láo, xū yào zhù yuàn zhì liáo.
He contracted tuberculosis and needs hospitalization.
肺痨。
Guò qù fèi láo shì yì zhǒng hěn nán zhì de bìng.
In the past, tuberculosis was a disease that was very hard to cure.
肺痨。
Xiàn zài fèi láo yǐ jīng kě yǐ zhì hǎo le.
Now tuberculosis can be cured.

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.

痨láoconsumption

肺 names the lung and 痨 names consumption; the word denotes tuberculosis, the wasting disease of the lungs.

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.

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 癆; 痨 is its simplified writing.

疒勞癆

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nèsickness

Sound part声符shēngfú

勞

勞láo癆láo

Same sound today

The traditional form 癆 pairs 疒, sickness, with 勞 for sound; 痨 is its simplified form.