脊椎动物 (jǐ zhuī dòng wù) — vertebrate

Definition

noun
vertebrate
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 脊椎动物。
    Rén lèi yě shì jǐ zhuī dòng wù de yì zhǒng.
    Humans are also a type of vertebrate.
  • 、脊椎动物。
    Yú, niǎo hé bǔ rǔ dòng wù dōu shì jǐ zhuī dòng wù.
    Fish, birds, and mammals are all vertebrates.
  • 脊椎动物。
    Dà duō shù jǐ zhuī dòng wù dōu yǒu jǐ zhù.
    Most vertebrates have a spine.

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.

脊椎spine/vertebrae
脊jǐspine椎zhuīvertebra
联合Side by side
动物animal
动dòngmoving物wùthing
偏正Modifier + head

脊椎 (spine/vertebrae) and 动物 (moving creature) combine for animals with a backbone.

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
肉肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì脊jǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The original drawing of 脊 showed a fish spine; later 肉 (flesh) was added to point to the meaning, while the upper 朿 part supplied the sound.

Open 脊 →

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
隹
隹zhuī椎zhuī
Same sound today

椎 combines 木 (tree) with 隹, which gives the sound zhuī; the idea is a piece of wood used to smash things, a hammer or mallet.

Open 椎 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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
牛牛niú
Sound part声符shēngfú
勿
勿wù物wù
Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Open 物 →

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