佝偻病 (gōu lóu bìng) — rickets (a childhood bone disease caused by vitamin D deficiency)

Definition

Medical term for rickets — a childhood bone disorder caused by vitamin D deficiency. More technical than saying 缺钙 ('lacking calcium') and used in clinical or health-context writing.

noun
rickets (a childhood bone disease caused by vitamin D deficiency)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 佝偻病。
    Dé le gōu lóu bìng de hái zi xū yào duō shài tài yáng.
    Children with rickets need more sun exposure.
  • 佝偻病D。
    Yù fáng gōu lóu bìng yào bǔ chōng wéi shēng sù D hé gài.
    To prevent rickets, you need to supplement vitamin D and calcium.
  • 佝偻病。
    Zhè zhǒng nǎi fěn kě yǐ jiàng dī gōu lóu bìng de fēng xiǎn.
    This formula can reduce the risk of rickets.

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.

佝偻hunched
佝gōuhunched偻lǚhunched
联合Side by side
病bìngdisease

佝偻 (hunched) specifies the kind of 病 (disease).

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rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
句
句jù佝
Same sound today

佝 uses 亻 to show a connection to a person, while 句 provides the sound.

Open 佝 →

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 僂; 偻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman; person
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu僂⁰lǚ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 僂 combines 人 (man; person) with 婁 for sound; the simplified 偻 is a shorthand.

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nèsickness
Sound part声符shēngfú
丙
丙bǐng病bìng
Same sound today

病 pairs 疒, a sickness mark, with 丙, which gives the sound; 丙 also means fire, giving a picture of lying feverishly in bed.

Open 病 →

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