死尸 (sǐ shī) — corpse, dead body | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

corpsedead body

Measure word · 具

Examples

死尸。
Jǐng chá zài hé biān fā xiàn le yí jù sǐ shī.
The police found a corpse by the river.
死尸。
Nà jù sǐ shī de shēn fèn hái méi yǒu què rèn.
The identity of that corpse has not been confirmed yet.
死尸。
Fǎ yī zhèng zài zǐ xì jiǎn chá zhè jù sǐ shī.
The forensic doctor is carefully examining this corpse.

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.

“死” describes the body “尸”, giving the idea of a dead body.

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 屍; 尸 is its simplified writing.

尸死屍

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

尸

尸shī屍shī

Same sound today

The traditional form 屍 pairs 尸 as a sound part with 死 as a meaning part; this evidence does not explain 尸 alone.

Appears in

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