核仁 (hé rén) — kernel (of a fruit stone); nucleolus | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'seed kernel': the edible seed inside a fruit stone (like a peach pit). In cell biology it means 'nucleolus', the structure inside the nucleus.

noun

kernel (of a fruit stone)nucleolus

Examples

核仁。
Zhè ge táo zi de hé rén kě yǐ chī.
The kernel of this peach can be eaten.
核仁。
Xì bāo hé lǐ yǒu yí gè hé rén.
There is a nucleolus inside the cell nucleus.
核仁。
Xìng rén qí shí jiù shì xìng de hé rén.
Almonds are actually the kernels of apricots.

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.

仁 (kernel) inside 核 (pit).

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.

木亥核

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

亥

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

核 pairs 木, a tree, with 亥 to give its sound; it originally named a kind of tree, and its later meanings are borrowed.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

人

人rén仁rén

Same sound today

仁 is built from 人 and 二; 人 gives the sound, and 二 gives the meaning.

Appears in

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.