踝骨 (huái gū) — ankle bone

Definition

noun
ankle bone
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 踝骨。
    Tā shuāi dǎo shí shuāi shāng le huái gū.
    He injured his ankle bone when he fell.
  • 踝骨X。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì pāi yì zhāng huái gū de X guāng piàn.
    The doctor recommended taking an X-ray of the ankle bone.
  • 踝骨。
    Zhè ge bù wèi de huái gū bǐ jiào cuì ruò.
    The ankle bone in this area is relatively fragile.

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.

踝huáiankle
骨gǔbone

踝 ankle + 骨 bone, the bone of the ankle.

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
𧾷Written in full as足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
果
果guǒ踝huái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 𧾷 is a foot, and the right part 果 gives the sound.

Open 踝 →

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ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →

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