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脑电图 (nǎo diàn tú) — electroencephalogram (EEG)

Definition

noun
electroencephalogram (EEG)
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 脑电图。
    Yī shēng gěi tā zuò le yí gè nǎo diàn tú.
    The doctor gave him an EEG.
  • 脑电图。
    nǎo diàn tú De jié guǒ xiǎn shì tā de dà nǎo huó dòng zhèng cháng.
    The EEG results showed his brain activity is normal.
  • 脑电图。
    Zuò nǎo diàn tú kě yǐ jiǎn chá diān xián děng nǎo bù jí bìng.
    An EEG can check for epilepsy and other brain diseases.

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.

脑电brain electricity
脑nǎobrain电diànelectricity
偏正Modifier + head
图túdiagram

脑电 is brain electricity, and 图 is a diagram; together it names an EEG tracing.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圖; 图 is its simplified writing.

  • 囗囗wéiwalled city
  • 啚啚bǐ

The traditional form 圖 pairs 囗, a walled city, with 啚, an early form meaning remote areas or territory. The simplified 图 is a later abbreviation.

Open 图 →
Appears in
Medicine & Treatment

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