坏血病 (huài xuè bìng) — scurvy

Definition

noun
scurvy

Examples

  • 坏血病C。
    huài xuè bìng Shì yóu yú quē fá wéi shēng sù C yǐn qǐ de jí bìng.
    Scurvy is a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C.
  • ，坏血病。
    Guò qù, shuǐ shǒu men jīng cháng dé huài xuè bìng.
    In the past, sailors often got scurvy.
  • 坏血病。
    Duō chī shuǐ guǒ kě yǐ yù fáng huài xuè bìng.
    Eating more fruit can prevent scurvy.

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.

坏血bad blood
坏huàibad血xuèblood
偏正Modifier + head
病bìngdisease

“坏” (bad) and “血” (blood) describe the condition, while “病” names the illness.

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 壞; 坏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
褱
褱huái壞huài
Same sound today

For the traditional form 壞, 土 (earth) is the meaning part and 褱 supplies the sound; earth is used because something that rots eventually becomes earth. This is about 壞, not the simplified 坏.

Open 坏 →

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 →

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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