电泳 (diàn yǒng) — electrophoresis

Definition

A lab technique that separates molecules (like DNA or proteins) by size using an electric field. The molecules move through a gel and are sorted by how fast they travel.

noun
electrophoresis

Examples

  • 电泳。
    Wǒ men xū yào yòng diàn yǒng lái fēn xī zhè xiē dàn bái zhì.
    We need to use electrophoresis to analyze these proteins.
  • 电泳DNA。
    diàn yǒng Jié guǒ xiǎn shì DNA piàn duàn de dà xiǎo bù tóng.
    The electrophoresis results show that the DNA fragments have different sizes.
  • 电泳。
    Tā men zhèng zài zhǔn bèi diàn yǒng shí yàn suǒ xū de níng jiāo.
    They are preparing the gel needed for the electrophoresis experiment.

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.

电diànelectricity
泳yǒngmove

电 refers to electricity, and 泳 suggests movement, yielding motion of particles in an electric field.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
永
永yǒng泳yǒng
Same sound today

泳 pairs 氵 (water) with 永, which gives the sound. The water part fits the meaning of swimming.

Open 泳 →

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