狐臭 (hú chòu) — body odor (bromhidrosis) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A medical-leaning term for strong underarm body odor, more clinical than everyday 味儿. Refers specifically to bromhidrosis rather than general smell.

noun

body odor (bromhidrosis)

Examples

狐臭，。
Tā yǒu hú chòu, píng shí xū yào yòng zhǐ hàn jì.
He has body odor and usually needs to use antiperspirant.
狐臭，。
hú chòu Shì tiān shēng de, hěn nán wán quán zhì yù.
Body odor is congenital and difficult to cure completely.
狐臭。
Hěn duō rén yīn wèi hú chòu gǎn dào zì bēi.
Many people feel inferior because of body odor.

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.

狐 (fox) and 臭 (stink) name the strong odor traditionally compared to a fox.

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.

犭瓜狐

Meaning part形符xíngfú

犭Written in full as犬quǎndog

Sound part声符shēngfú

瓜

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

狐 uses 犭, the dog sign, to mark it as an animal, and 瓜 to give the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

犬自臭

犬犬quǎndog
自自zìnose

臭 combines 自 (nose) and 犬 (dog), referring to a dog's strong sense of smell; it originally meant 'to smell'.

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