骨癌 (gǔ ái) — bone cancer

Definition

noun
bone cancer
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 骨癌。
    Yī shēng shuō tā dé le gǔ ái.
    The doctor said he has bone cancer.
  • 骨癌。
    gǔ ái Shì yì zhǒng hěn yán zhòng de jí bìng.
    Bone cancer is a very serious disease.
  • 骨癌。
    Tā yīn wèi gǔ ái qù shì le.
    He passed away from bone cancer.

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.

骨gǔbone
癌áicancer

骨 means bone and 癌 means cancer, naming a cancer in bone.

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
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 →

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
疒疒nèdisease
Sound part声符shēngfú
嵒
嵒yán癌
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

癌 combines 疒 (disease) with 嵒, a component used for its sound.

Open 癌 →

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