单细胞 (dān xì bāo) — single cell; unicellular organism | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

single cellunicellular organism

Measure word · 个

Examples

单细胞。
Zhè zhǒng dān xì bāo shēng wù hěn xiǎo.
This kind of single-celled organism is very small.
单细胞。
dān xì bāo Shì shēng mìng de jī běn dān wèi.
The single cell is the basic unit of life.
单细胞。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū zhè zhǒng dān xì bāo.
Scientists are studying this unicellular organism.

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.

细胞cell

细xìfine胞bāocell

偏正Modifier + head

单 means single and 细胞 means cell, giving the idea of one cell.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

囟

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

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

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

月包胞

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròuflesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

包

包bāo胞bāo

Same sound today

胞 pairs 月 (flesh) with 包, a shape representing a pregnant figure, to point to the membrane enclosing a fetus.

Appears in

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