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脑外科 (nǎo wài kē) — neurosurgery (department or specialty)

Definition

The department or specialty of brain surgery. Refers to both the hospital department (脑外科病房) and the medical field.

noun
neurosurgery (department or specialty)

Examples

  • 脑外科。
    Tā shì yì míng nǎo wài kē yī shēng.
    He is a neurosurgeon.
  • 脑外科。
    nǎo wài kē Shǒu shù fēi cháng fù zá.
    Neurosurgery is very complex.
  • 脑外科。
    Wǒ shū shu zài nǎo wài kē gōng zuò.
    My uncle works in the neurosurgery department.

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.

脑nǎobrain
外科surgery
外wàiexternal科kēdepartment
偏正Modifier + head

'脑' names the brain and '外科' is the department of external treatment, together meaning neurosurgery.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腦; 脑 is its simplified writing.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 巛巛chuānhair
  • 囟囟xìnhead; fontanel

In the traditional form 腦, the older part 匕 was replaced by a flesh part, while 巛 (hair) and 囟 (head; fontanel) stayed. The simplified 脑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 脑 →

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
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →

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
斗斗dòumeasuring tool
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé科kē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

科 pairs 禾, which gives the hé sound, with 斗, a measuring tool.

Open 科 →
Appears in
Hospital & ClinicMedicine & Treatment

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