生长激素 (shēng zhǎng jī sù) — growth hormone

Definition

noun

growth hormone

生长激素。
Yī shēng shuō tā xū yào zhù shè shēng zhǎng jī sù.
The doctor said he needs to inject growth hormone.
生长激素。
shēng zhǎng jī sù Duì ér tóng de fā yù fēi cháng zhòng yào.
Growth hormone is very important for children's development.
生长激素。
Zhè zhǒng yào wù hán yǒu shēng zhǎng jī sù.
This medicine contains growth hormone.

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.

生长growth

联合Side by side

激素hormone

激jīstimulate素sùsubstance

偏正Modifier + head

“生长” combines grow and grow, while “激素” suggests a stimulating substance, naming a hormone that promotes growth.

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.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

氵敫激

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.

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.