激酶 (jī méi) — kinase (biochemistry)

Definition

noun
kinase (biochemistry)

Examples

  • 激酶。
    Zhè zhǒng jī méi zài xì bāo xìn hào chuán dǎo zhōng qǐ guān jiàn zuò yòng.
    This kinase plays a key role in cell signal transduction.
  • 激酶。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài kāi fā zhēn duì zhè zhǒng jī méi de yì zhì jì.
    Scientists are developing inhibitors targeting this kinase.
  • 激酶。
    jī méi Huó xìng yì cháng cháng yǔ ái zhèng de fā shēng yǒu guān.
    Abnormal kinase activity is often associated with the development of cancer.

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.

激jīactivate
酶méienzyme

激 means activate and 酶 means enzyme, together an activating enzyme.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
敫
敫jiǎo激jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Open 激 →

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
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi酶méi
Same sound today

酶 combines 酉, the meaning part, with 每, the sound part.

Open 酶 →

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