死伤 (sǐ shāng) — casualties (the killed and wounded)

Definition

noun

casualties (the killed and wounded)

死伤。
Zhè cì dì zhèn zào chéng le dà liàng sǐ shāng.
This earthquake caused a large number of casualties.
死伤。
Bào dào zhōng méi yǒu tí dào jù tǐ de sǐ shāng rén shù.
The report did not mention the specific number of casualties.
死伤。
Jiù yuán rén yuán zhèng zài tǒng jì sǐ shāng míng dān.
Rescue workers are counting the list of casualties.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

死 and 伤 stand side by side as the dead and the wounded.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

尸

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

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 傷; 伤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

𥏻

𥏻𥏻傷shāng

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

The traditional form 傷 shows 人, a person, and uses 𥏻 to give the sound; the simplified 伤 is a later shorthand.

Appears in