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体检 (tǐ jiǎn) — physical examination, health check-up

Definition

Short for 体格检查, meaning a routine medical check-up at a hospital or clinic. Used as a verb or noun: 去体检 / 做体检 ('go for / have a check-up').

verb
physical examinationhealth check-up
Easily confused

Examples

  • 体检？
    Nǐ tǐ jiǎn le ma?
    Have you had your physical exam?
  • 体检。
    Wǒ měi nián dōu qù tǐ jiǎn yí cì.
    I go for a physical check-up once a year.
  • 体检。
    tǐ jiǎn Jié guǒ yào dào míng tiān cái zhī dào.
    The physical exam results won't be known until tomorrow.

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.

体tǐbody
检jiǎncheck

体 (body) and 检 (check) combine to mean a check of the body.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →

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 檢; 检 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān檢jiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 檢 pairs 木 (wood) with 僉 as a sound part; it may originally have pictured a blade on top of a wooden spear. The simplified 检 is a later shorthand.

Open 检 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4Medicine & Treatment

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