病状 (bìng zhuàng) — symptoms (of a disease) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

symptoms (of a disease)

Measure word · 个

Examples

病状？
Nǐ de bìng zhuàng shì shén me shí hou kāi shǐ de?
When did your symptoms start?
病状。
Zhè xiē bìng zhuàng kě néng hé gǎn mào yǒu guān.
These symptoms might be related to a cold.
病状。
Yī shēng zǐ xì jiǎn chá le tā de bìng zhuàng.
The doctor carefully examined his symptoms.

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.

病bìngillness

状zhuàngcondition

病 names the illness and 状 its outward condition, together giving symptoms.

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

丙bǐng病bìng

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

爿犬狀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

爿

爿pán狀zhuàng

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

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

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