疮疤 (chuāng bā) — scar (from a boil or wound); (fig.) painful memory, sensitive topic

Definition

A scar — both the literal mark from a wound or boil and, figuratively, a painful memory or sensitive topic (e.g., 揭疮疤 'to reopen old wounds').

noun
scar (from a boil or wound)(fig.) painful memorysensitive topic
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 疮疤。
    Tā de tuǐ shàng yǒu yí gè chuāng bā.
    He has a scar on his leg.
  • ，疮疤。
    Nǐ shuō huà xiǎo xīn diǎn, bié jiē tā de chuāng bā.
    Watch your words — don't bring up his sore spot.
  • ，疮疤。
    Shí jiān jiǔ le, xīn lǐ de chuāng bā màn màn jiù hǎo le.
    With time, the scar in the heart slowly heals.

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.

疮chuāngsore
疤bāscar

疮 specifies the kind of 疤, a scar from a sore.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 疮 →

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
疒疒nè
Sound part声符shēngfú
巴
巴bā疤bā
Same sound today

疤 pairs 疒, a part related to illness, with 巴 (bā), which gives the sound.

Open 疤 →

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