椎骨 (zhuī gǔ) — vertebra | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

vertebra

Measure word · 块

椎骨。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le wǒ de zhuī gǔ.
The doctor examined my vertebra.
椎骨，。
Tā de zhuī gǔ shòu shāng le, xū yào zuò shǒu shù.
His vertebra was injured and needs surgery.
33椎骨。
Rén tǐ yǒu 33 kuài zhuī gǔ.
The human body has 33 vertebrae.

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.

木隹椎

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

隹

隹zhuī椎zhuī

Same sound today

椎 combines 木 (tree) with 隹, which gives the sound zhuī; the idea is a piece of wood used to smash things, a hammer or mallet.

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

冎

冎guǎ骨gǔ

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

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Appears in