血红素 (xuè hóng sù) — heme (the iron-porphyrin complex that binds oxygen in hemoglobin)

Definition

Specialized biochemistry term for 'heme' — the iron-containing molecular group at the core of hemoglobin that binds oxygen. Strictly technical; not confused with 血红蛋白 (hemoglobin) which is the full protein.

noun
heme (the iron-porphyrin complex that binds oxygen in hemoglobin)

Examples

  • 血红素。
    Hóng xì bāo zhōng hán yǒu xuè hóng sù.
    Red blood cells contain heme.
  • 血红素。
    Rén tǐ nèi de xuè hóng sù néng gòu xié dài yǎng qì.
    Heme in the human body can carry oxygen.
  • 血红素。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de xuè hóng sù shuǐ píng.
    The doctor checked his heme level.

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.

血红blood-red
血xuèblood红hóngred
偏正Modifier + head
素sùsubstance

血红 gives the color blood-red, and 素 names a substance, so the word means the blood-red substance heme.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →

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

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Open 素 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.