蛇毒 (shé dú) — snake venom | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

snake venom

Examples

蛇毒，。
Zhè zhǒng shé dú fēi cháng wēi xiǎn, bèi yǎo hòu bì xū mǎ shàng jiù yī.
This kind of snake venom is very dangerous; you must seek medical attention immediately after being bitten.
蛇毒。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū shé dú de yào yòng jià zhí.
Scientists are studying the medicinal value of snake venom.
蛇毒。
Zhè zhǒng shé dú kě yǐ yòng lái zhì zuò zhǐ tòng yào.
This kind of snake venom can be used to make painkillers.

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.

毒dúpoison

蛇 names the animal and 毒 names the poison, so it is venom from a snake.

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.

虫它蛇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

它

它tā蛇shé

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蛇 combines 虫 with 它; 它 gives the sound and was also the original form of this character.

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

屮屮chèvegetation

Sound part声符shēngfú

毐

毐ǎi毒dú

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

Appears in

Animals & Mammals Materials & Substances

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