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宿主 (sù zhǔ) — (biology) host (organism that harbors another); (literary) former master (of a servant or slave)

Definition

Two unrelated senses: in biology it means 'host' (the organism a parasite or virus lives on/in); in literary/classical Chinese it means 'former master' of a servant or slave.

noun
(biology) host (organism that harbors another)(literary) former master (of a servant or slave)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 宿主。
    Bìng dú bì xū yī lài sù zhǔ cái néng shēng cún.
    Viruses must rely on a host to survive.
  • 宿主。
    Zhè zhǒng jì shēng chóng zài sù zhǔ tǐ nèi fán zhí.
    This parasite reproduces inside the host.
  • 宿主。
    Gǔ dài de jiā nú cháng bèi sù zhǔ nüè dài.
    In ancient times, household slaves were often mistreated by their former master.

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.

宿sùlodging/former
主zhǔhost/master

宿 suggests lodging or former status and 主 means host or master; together they name a host organism or former master.

Characters in this word

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

  • 人人rénperson
  • 囗囗wéibamboo mat

The shape comes from an old drawing of 人, a person, resting on a mat.

Open 宿 →

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →
Appears in
Biology

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