体表 (tǐ biǎo) — body surface

Definition

Specialized medical/biology term for the outer surface of the body (skin). Used in clinical contexts like 体表温度 ('body surface temperature'), not everyday 'skin' (皮肤).

noun
body surface

Examples

  • 体表。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de tǐ biǎo.
    The doctor examined his body surface.
  • 体表。
    tǐ biǎo Wēn dù kě yǐ yòng hóng wài xiàn cè wēn yí cè liáng.
    Body surface temperature can be measured with an infrared thermometer.
  • 体表。
    Shāo shāng bìng rén de tǐ biǎo xū yào tè bié hù lǐ.
    The body surface of burn patients requires special care.

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
表biǎosurface

The 体 body combined with 表 surface gives the outer surface 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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →

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