膊 (bó) — (bound form) arm (appearing only in compounds like 胳膊)

Definition

膊 (bó) is a bound form meaning 'arm' that only appears as the second character in the word 胳膊 (gēbo). Never used on its own.

bound form
arm (appearing only in compounds like 胳膊)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Tā de gē bó hěn jiē shi.
    His arm is very strong.
  • 。
    Tā bù xiǎo xīn shuāi shāng le gē bó.
    She accidentally fell and hurt her arm.
  • ，。
    Nǐ shēn yí xià gē bó, wǒ bāng nǐ liáng xuè yā.
    Stretch out your arm and I'll help you take your blood pressure.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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ròubody
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū膊bó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

膊 combines 肉, meaning body, with 尃, which gives the sound.

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