颊骨 (jiá gū) — cheekbone | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cheekbone

Measure word · 块

Examples

颊骨，。
Tā de jiá gū hěn gāo, kàn qǐ lái hěn yǒu lì tǐ gǎn.
His cheekbones are very high, giving his face a sculpted look.
颊骨，。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de jiá gū, què rèn méi yǒu gǔ zhé.
The doctor examined her cheekbone and confirmed there was no fracture.
颊骨。
Huà zhuāng shí zài jiá gū xià fāng dǎ yīn yǐng kě yǐ xiū shì liǎn xíng.
When applying makeup, contouring under the cheekbone can refine the face shape.

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.

Cheek and bone combine to name the cheekbone.

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 頰; 颊 is its simplified writing.

夾頁頰

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

夾

夾jiā頰jiá

Same sound today

In the traditional form 頰, 夾 gives the sound and 頁 shows the head, for a part of the head.

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

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.

Appears in

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