血泡 (xuè pào) — blood blister

Definition

A blood blister — a blister filled with blood (not clear fluid), usually caused by friction, pinching, or burns. Use 磨出/长 to describe forming one, as in the examples.

noun
blood blister
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 血泡。
    Tā shǒu shàng mó chū le yí gè xuè pào.
    He developed a blood blister on his hand from friction.
  • 血泡，。
    Zhè ge xuè pào pò le, xū yào xiāo dú.
    This blood blister has burst and needs to be disinfected.
  • 血泡。
    Zǒu lù tài jiǔ jiǎo shàng cháng le xuè pào.
    After walking too long, a blood blister formed on my foot.

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.

血xuèblood
泡pàoblister

血 (blood) and 泡 (blister) combine to mean a blood-filled blister.

Characters in this word

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

  • 一一yīdrop of blood
  • 皿皿mǐncontainer

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

Open 血 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo泡pào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泡 combines 氵 (water) and 包, which supplies the sound. It conveys foam.

Open 泡 →

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