转氨酶 (zhuǎn ān méi) — transaminase, aminotransferase (enzyme that transfers amino groups)

Definition

noun
transaminaseaminotransferase (enzyme that transfers amino groups)

Examples

  • 转氨酶。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le wǒ de zhuǎn ān méi.
    The doctor checked my transaminase levels.
  • 转氨酶。
    zhuǎn ān méi Shēng gāo kě néng yì wèi zhe gān zàng yǒu wèn tí.
    Elevated transaminase may indicate a liver problem.
  • 转氨酶。
    Zhè zhǒng yào wù huì yǐng xiǎng zhuǎn ān méi de huó xìng.
    This medication affects the activity of transaminase.

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.

转氨transfer amino groups
转zhuǎntransfer氨ānamino group
动宾Verb + object
酶méienzyme

The sense of 转 transferring 氨 amino groups is joined to 酶 enzyme to name the enzyme that performs it.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →

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
气气qìgas
Sound part声符shēngfú
安
安ān氨ān
Same sound today

氨 pairs 气 (gas) with 安, which gives the sound ān; the 气 part shows that it names a gas.

Open 氨 →

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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