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脊骨 (jí gǔ) — spine, backbone

Definition

noun
spinebackbone
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 脊骨。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le wǒ de jí gǔ.
    The doctor examined my spine.
  • 脊骨。
    Tā de jí gǔ shòu shāng le.
    His backbone was injured.
  • 脊骨。
    Māo de jí gǔ fēi cháng líng huó.
    A cat's spine is very flexible.

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jǐspine
骨gǔbone

脊 refers to the spine or back, and 骨 refers to bone, together the 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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →
Appears in
Body Parts

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