运动神经 (yùn dòng shén jīng) — motor nerves

Definition

The nerves that carry signals from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, telling the body to move. Contrast with 感觉神经, which carry signals from the body back to the brain.

noun
motor nerves

Examples

  • 运动神经。
    yùn dòng shén jīng Fù zé jiāng zhǐ lìng cóng dà nǎo chuán dì dào jī ròu.
    Motor nerves are responsible for transmitting commands from the brain to muscles.
  • 运动神经，。
    Tā de yùn dòng shén jīng shòu sǔn, dǎo zhì xíng zǒu kùn nan.
    His motor nerves were damaged, causing difficulty walking.
  • 运动神经。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le huàn zhě de yùn dòng shén jīng gōng néng.
    The doctor examined the patient's motor nerve function.

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.

运动movement
运yùnmove动dòngmove
联合Side by side
神经nerve
神shénspirit经jīngmeridian
偏正Modifier + head

运动神经 combines 运动, meaning movement, with 神经, meaning nerves, for nerves that control movement.

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 運; 运 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòmotion
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn運yùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 運 combines 辵, meaning motion, with 軍 to give the sound; the simplified 运 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 运 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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