外骨骼 (wài gǔ gé) — exoskeleton

Definition

noun
exoskeleton
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 外骨骼。
    Kūn chóng de wài gǔ gé néng gòu bǎo hù tā men de shēn tǐ.
    The exoskeleton of insects protects their bodies.
  • 外骨骼。
    Zhè zhī lóng xiā de wài gǔ gé fēi cháng jiān yìng.
    This lobster's exoskeleton is very hard.
  • 外骨骼。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán fā jūn yòng wài gǔ gé.
    Scientists are developing a military exoskeleton.

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.

外wàioutside
骨骼skeleton
骨gǔbone骼gébones
联合Side by side

外 (outside) locates the 骨骼 (skeleton), forming the hard outer covering of some animals.

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
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →

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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →

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
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè骼
Same sound today

The left part 骨 means bone, and the right part 各 gives the sound.

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