囊虫 (náng chóng) — cysticercus (the larval stage of Taenia solium, causing cysticercosis)

Definition

Highly specialized medical/biology term for the larval stage (cysticercus) of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, which causes cysticercosis in humans. Far above everyday HSK usage — treat as domain vocabulary.

noun
cysticercus (the larval stage of Taenia solium, causing cysticercosis)

Examples

  • 囊虫。
    Yī shēng zài huàn zhě nǎo zhōng fā xiàn le náng chóng.
    The doctor found a cysticercus in the patient's brain.
  • 囊虫。
    náng chóng Jì shēng zài jī ròu zǔ zhī zhōng shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn zhèng zhuàng.
    Cysticercus parasitizing in muscle tissue is a common symptom.
  • 囊虫。
    Zhè ge dì qū yǒu hěn duō rén gǎn rǎn le náng chóng bìng.
    Many people in this area are infected with cysticercosis.

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.

囊nángsac
虫chóngworm

“囊” (sac) and “虫” (worm) combine: a worm enclosed in a sac.

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
㯻㯻㯻bag
Sound part声符shēngfú
襄
襄xiāng囊náng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

囊 is made from 㯻, a tied bag with items inside, plus an abbreviated form of 襄 that gives the sound.

Open 囊 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蟲; 虫 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 蟲 is the one the reference discusses; 虫 is also a traditional character on its own.

Open 虫 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.