蛋白酶 (dàn bái méi) — protease; proteinase

Definition

A biochemical term: an enzyme (酶) that breaks down proteins (蛋白质), as in digestion or lab research. Mostly seen in science and medical contexts.

noun
proteaseproteinase

Examples

  • 蛋白酶。
    dàn bái méi Shì yì zhǒng kě yǐ fēn jiě dàn bái zhì de méi.
    Protease is an enzyme that can break down proteins.
  • 蛋白酶。
    Kē xué jiā zài yán jiū zhōng fā xiàn le xīn de dàn bái méi.
    Scientists discovered a new protease in their research.
  • 蛋白酶。
    Rén tǐ de xiāo huà xì tǒng xū yào dàn bái méi lái bāng zhù xiāo huà shí wù.
    The human digestive system needs proteases to help digest food.

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.

蛋白protein
蛋dànegg白báiwhite
偏正Modifier + head
酶méienzyme

蛋白 means protein, 酶 an enzyme; together they name an enzyme that acts on protein.

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
虫虫chóngsnake, insect
Sound part声符shēngfú
延
延yán蛋dàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 蛋, the lower part 虫 is a snake or insect, and the upper part is a shortened 延 giving the sound for 'egg'.

Open 蛋 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

白 is thought to picture either an acorn or a human head.

Open 白 →

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
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi酶méi
Same sound today

酶 combines 酉, the meaning part, with 每, the sound part.

Open 酶 →

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