法医学 (fǎ yī xué) — forensic medicine

Definition

noun
forensic medicine

Examples

  • 法医学
    Tā shì yì míng fǎ yī xué zhuān jiā.
    He is a forensic medicine expert.
  • 法医学
    Zhè mén kè jiè shào fǎ yī xué de jī běn zhī shi.
    This course introduces the basics of forensic medicine.
  • 法医学
    fǎ yī xué Bāng zhù jǐng fāng jiě jué le fù zá de àn jiàn.
    Forensic medicine helped the police solve a complex case.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

法医legal medicine
lawmedicine
偏正Modifier + head
xuédiscipline

法 and 医 give law medicine, and 学 adds the sense of a field of study.

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
Written in full asshuǐwater
zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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 醫; 医 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
yǒuliquor
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

The traditional form 醫 pairs 酉 (liquor) with 殹 as a sound part; the simplified 医 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 医 →

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 學; 学 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 學 may have used 爻 and 六 for sound, with hands and a child added later; the simplified 学 is a shorthand.

Open 学 →

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