生理学 (shēng lǐ xué) — physiology | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

physiology

生理学。
Wǒ dà xué de shí hou xué guò shēng lǐ xué.
I studied physiology in college.
生理学。
Zhè běn shēng lǐ xué shū hěn hòu.
This physiology book is very thick.
生理学。
Wáng jiào shòu shì shēng lǐ xué zhuān jiā.
Professor Wang is a physiology expert.

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.

生理life processes

偏正Modifier + head

“生理” means life processes and “学” means study: the study of life processes.

Characters in this word

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

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

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

里

Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

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.

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