音带 (yīn dài) — vocal cords

Definition

Refers to the vocal cords (the folds of tissue in the larynx that produce sound). A formal, anatomical term — in everyday speech people more often say 嗓子 or 声带.

noun
vocal cords
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 音带。
    Yī shēng yòng hóu jìng zǐ xì jiǎn chá le tā de yīn dài.
    The doctor carefully examined his vocal cords with a laryngoscope.
  • ，音带。
    Tā lián xù chàng le sān xiǎo shí, yīn dài dōu yǎ le.
    She sang for three hours straight, and her vocal cords became hoarse.
  • 音带。
    Bǎo hù yīn dài shì gē chàng jiā de jī běn gōng.
    Protecting the vocal cords is a basic skill for singers.

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.

音yīnsound
带dàiband

音 sound and 带 band make a band involved in producing sound.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

音 adds a short stroke that seals the mouth-like part, showing a covered or muffled sound rather than speech.

Open 音 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 帶; 带 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 帶 was drawn as a woven belt; the simplified 带 is a later shorthand.

Open 带 →

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