吐沫 (tù mò) — saliva, spittle | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Colloquial word for 'saliva/spit' (tǔ), used mostly in speech. The more neutral written/common word is 唾液 (HSK 7 sibling), while 口水 is the everyday, slightly casual term for the same.

noun

salivaspittle

Examples

吐沫。
Tā tǔ le yì kǒu tù mò.
He spat a mouthful of saliva.
吐沫。
Tā de tù mò lǐ miàn yǒu xuè sī.
There were blood streaks in her saliva.
吐沫。
Zhè zhǒng bìng huì tōng guò tù mò chuán bō.
This disease spreads through saliva.

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.

吐 refers to spitting, and 沫 is foam or spittle, so the word names the spit itself.

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.

口土吐

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

土

土tǔ吐tǔ

Same sound today

吐 pairs 口, the mouth, with 土, which gives the sound.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

末

末mò沫mò

Same sound today

沫 pairs 水 (water) with 末 (mò), where 水 marks the watery sense and 末 gives the sound.

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