毒素 (dú sù) — toxin, poison | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

toxinpoison

Measure word · 种

毒素。
Zhè zhǒng dú sù duì rén tǐ yǒu hěn qiáng de yǐng xiǎng.
This kind of toxin has a strong effect on the human body.
毒素，。
Shí wù zhōng de dú sù rú guǒ bù qīng chú, kě néng dǎo zhì zhòng dú.
If toxins in food are not removed, they can cause poisoning.
毒素。
Kē xué yán jiū fā xiàn zhè zhǒng zhí wù hán yǒu wēi liàng dú sù.
Scientific research has found that this plant contains trace amounts of toxins.

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.

素sùsubstance

毒 (poison) and 素 (substance) combine to mean a poisonous substance.

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.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

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