癣 (xuǎn) — ringworm, tinea (fungal skin infection)
Definition
A general term for ringworm and other tinea (fungal skin infections), such as 脚癣 (athlete's foot) and 头癣 (scalp ringworm).
noun
ringwormtinea (fungal skin infection)
Easily confused
Examples
- 癣，。Yī shēng shuō wǒ dé le jiǎo xuǎn, xū yào yòng yào gāo zhì liáo.The doctor said I have athlete's foot and need to use an ointment for treatment.
- 癣，。Zhè zhǒng xuǎn huì chuán rǎn, yào zhù yì gè rén wèi shēng.This type of ringworm is contagious; you need to pay attention to personal hygiene.
- 癣，。Tā shǒu shàng de xuǎn yǐ jīng zhì hǎo le, pí fū huī fù le zhèng cháng.The ringworm on his hand has been cured, and his skin has returned to normal.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 癬; 癣 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
鮮
鮮xiān癬xuǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 癬 pairs 疒, the illness part, with 鮮 for the sound; the simplified 癣 is a later abbreviation.
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