栓子 (shuān zǐ) — (medical) embolus

Definition

A medical term: a mass (such as a blood clot or air bubble) that travels through the bloodstream and blocks a vessel. Used in clinical contexts for embolism-related topics.

noun
(medical) embolus
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 栓子。
    Yī shēng zài xuè guǎn lǐ fā xiàn le yí gè shuān zǐ.
    The doctor found an embolus in the blood vessel.
  • 栓子。
    Zhè ge shuān zǐ shì cóng xīn zàng tuō luò de.
    This embolus broke off from the heart.
  • 栓子。
    shuān zǐ Dǔ sè le dà nǎo de dòng mài.
    The embolus blocked an artery in the brain.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

栓shuānplug
子zǐthing

栓 is a plug, and 子 points to the concrete plug, here an embolus.

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
全
全quán栓shuān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栓 pairs 木 (wood) with 全 as a sound part; the source describes it as a wooden peg.

Open 栓 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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