月经 (yuè jīng) — menstruation, menstrual period | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A straightforward, neutral term for 'menstruation / menstrual period' — used in everyday and medical contexts. In casual speech people often just say 月经 or 例假.

noun

menstruationmenstrual period

Examples

月经。
Tā de yuè jīng měi gè yuè dōu zhǔn shí lái lín.
Her period comes on time every month.
月经。
yuè jīng Qī jiān yào zhù yì bǎo nuǎn huo xiū xi.
During menstruation, pay attention to keeping warm and resting.
月经。
Tā yīn wèi yuè jīng bú diào qù kàn le yī shēng.
She went to the doctor because of irregular menstruation.

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.

月 indicates monthly and 经 denotes the menstrual flow.

Characters in this word

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

月 was drawn as a crescent moon, with the curved outline showing the moon’s shape.

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

糹巠經

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread

Sound part声符shēngfú

巠

巠jīng經jīng

Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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