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代谢 (dài xiè) — (biology) to metabolize; metabolism; (literary) to supersede; to replace (the old with the new)

Definition

In modern usage, 代谢 means 'metabolize / metabolism' (biology). The literary sense of 'the new replacing the old' is a different, older meaning you may still meet in formal writing.

verb
(biology) to metabolizemetabolism(literary) to supersedeto replace (the old with the new)

Examples

  • 代谢。
    Yào wù zài gān zàng zhōng dài xiè.
    The drug is metabolized in the liver.
  • 代谢。
    Xīn jiù dài xiè shì zì rán guī lǜ.
    The replacement of the old by the new is a natural law.
  • 代谢。
    Zhè zhǒng jī sù néng jiā sù xì bāo dài xiè.
    This hormone can accelerate cell metabolism.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

代dàireplace
谢xièfade

代 (replace) and 谢 (fade) describe the cycle of replacing and fading in living bodies.

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →

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 謝; 谢 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword; speech
Sound part声符shēngfú
射
射shè謝xiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 謝 pairs 言 (word; speech) with 射, which gives the sound. The simplified 谢 is a written form of this character.

Open 谢 →
Appears in
Biology

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