动脉血 (dòng mài xuè) — arterial blood

Definition

Oxygen-rich blood carried from the heart to the body (bright red). Contrast with 静脉血, which carries used blood back to the heart (darker red).

noun
arterial blood

Examples

  • 动脉血。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de dòng mài xuè.
    The doctor examined his arterial blood.
  • 动脉血。
    dòng mài xuè De yán sè shì xiān hóng sè de.
    The color of arterial blood is bright red.
  • 动脉血。
    dòng mài xuè Zhōng hán yǎng liàng hěn gāo.
    Arterial blood has a high oxygen content.

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.

动脉artery
动dòngmove脉màivessel
偏正Modifier + head
血xuèblood

“动脉” names the vessel that carries blood, and “血” is blood, so together they mean arterial blood.

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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 脈; 脉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂢
𠂢𠂢脈mài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脈 pairs ⺼ (flesh) with a sound part, 𠂢; the simplified 脉 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 脉 →

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

  • 一一yīdrop of blood
  • 皿皿mǐncontainer

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

Open 血 →

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