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毒瘤 (dú liú) — malignant tumor (medical); (figurative) cancer; harmful element, blight on society

Definition

Literally 'poisonous tumor' — used figuratively to call out a deeply harmful person or practice that must be rooted out, like a cancer on society. The tone is strongly condemnatory, stronger than 害群之马.

noun
malignant tumor (medical)(figurative) cancerharmful elementblight on society
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 毒瘤。
    Yī shēng zài tā de fèi bù fā xiàn le yí gè dú liú.
    The doctor discovered a malignant tumor in his lung.
  • 毒瘤，。
    Fǔ bài shì shè huì de dú liú, bì xū chè dǐ chǎn chú.
    Corruption is a cancer on society; it must be completely eradicated.
  • 毒瘤。
    Zhè ge fàn zuì tuán huǒ yǐ chéng wéi dāng dì de dú liú.
    This criminal gang has become a malignant tumor on the local community.

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.

毒dúpoisonous
瘤liútumor

毒 gives a poisonous or malignant sense, while 瘤 is a growth, meaning a malignant tumor.

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
屮屮chèvegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
毐
毐ǎi毒dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

Open 毒 →

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
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
留
留liú瘤liú
Same sound today

瘤 pairs 疒, an illness part, with 留, which gives its sound.

Open 瘤 →
Appears in
Safety & Danger

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