病毒学 (bìng dú xué) — virology | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

virology

病毒学。
Tā zhèng zài xué xí bìng dú xué.
He is studying virology.
病毒学。
bìng dú xué Shì yì mén zhòng yào de yī xué xué kē.
Virology is an important medical discipline.
病毒学。
Zhè wèi jiào shòu cóng shì bìng dú xué yán jiū duō nián.
This professor has been engaged in virology research for many years.

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.

病毒virus

偏正Modifier + head

病毒 names the virus, and 学 denotes the study of it.

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.

疒丙病

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nèsickness

Sound part声符shēngfú

丙

Same sound today

病 pairs 疒, a sickness mark, with 丙, which gives the sound; 丙 also means fire, giving a picture of lying feverishly in bed.

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

屮屮chèvegetation

Sound part声符shēngfú

毐

毐ǎi毒dú

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

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

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.