伤疤 (shāng bā) — scar | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

伤疤 literally means the physical mark a wound leaves on the skin. In extended/figurative use it refers to lasting emotional or psychological pain from a painful experience.

noun

scar

Measure word · 道

Examples

伤疤。
Tā shǒu shàng de shāng bā shì xiǎo shí hou shuāi de.
The scar on his hand is from a fall when he was a child.
伤疤，。
Shí jiān kě yǐ yù hé shāng bā, dàn bú huì wán quán xiāo shī.
Time can heal scars, but they won't completely disappear.
伤疤。
Zhè duàn jīng lì zài tā xīn lǐ liú xià le shēn shēn de shāng bā.
This experience left a deep scar in his heart.

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.

“伤” means wound and “疤” means scar, so it names the mark left by a wound.

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 傷; 伤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

𥏻

𥏻𥏻傷shāng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傷 shows 人, a person, and uses 𥏻 to give the sound; the simplified 伤 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

疒巴疤

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nè

Sound part声符shēngfú

巴

巴bā疤bā

Same sound today

疤 pairs 疒, a part related to illness, with 巴 (bā), which gives the sound.

Appears in

Injury & Disability

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