心律 (xīn lǜ) — cardiac rhythm | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A medical/clinical term for 'cardiac rhythm' — the pattern or rate of heartbeats. Used in formal medical contexts, unlike the everyday 心跳 ('heartbeat' as a physical act).

noun

cardiac rhythm

Examples

心律。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de xīn lǜ.
The doctor checked his cardiac rhythm.
心律。
xīn lǜ Bù qí shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de xīn zàng wèn tí.
Irregular cardiac rhythm is a common heart problem.
心律。
Zhè ge shè bèi kě yǐ jiān cè xīn lǜ.
This device can monitor cardiac rhythm.

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.

律lǜrhythm

心 gives heart and 律 gives rhythm, forming the rhythm of the heart.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

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

彳聿律

Meaning part形符xíngfú

彳彳chì

Sound part声符shēngfú

聿

聿yù律lǜ

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

律 puts 彳 beside 聿: 彳 is the part tied to the meaning, and 聿 is the part tied to the sound.

Appears in

Organs & Anatomy Medicine & Treatment

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