干细胞 (gàn xì bāo) — stem cell | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

stem cell

Measure word · 个

Examples

干细胞。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài lì yòng gàn xì bāo zhì liáo hěn duō jí bìng.
Scientists are using stem cells to treat many diseases.
干细胞。
gàn xì bāo Yán jiū wèi yī xué dài lái le xīn de xī wàng.
Stem cell research has brought new hope to medicine.
干细胞。
Zào xiě gàn xì bāo shì xuè yè xì tǒng zhōng zuì zhòng yào de yì zhǒng.
Hematopoietic stem cells are the most important type in the blood system.

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.

细胞cell

细xìfine胞bāocell

偏正Modifier + head

干 means stem or trunk, and 细胞 means cell, so together they name a stem cell.

Characters in this word

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

倝

倝gàn乾gān

Same sound today

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

囟

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

月包胞

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròuflesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

包

包bāo胞bāo

Same sound today

胞 pairs 月 (flesh) with 包, a shape representing a pregnant figure, to point to the membrane enclosing a fetus.

Appears in

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