癫痫病 (diān xián bìng) — epilepsy (a neurological disorder)

Definition

noun
epilepsy (a neurological disorder)

Examples

  • 癫痫病，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù yǒu diān xián bìng, dàn yì zhí kòng zhì dé hěn hǎo.
    He has had epilepsy since childhood, but it has been well controlled.
  • 癫痫病。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì yòng yào wù lái zhì liáo diān xián bìng.
    The doctor recommends using medication to treat epilepsy.
  • 癫痫病。
    diān xián bìng Huàn zhě xū yào bì miǎn guò dù pí láo.
    Patients with epilepsy need to avoid excessive fatigue.

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.

癫痫epilepsy
癫diānmad/epileptic痫xiánepilepsy
联合Side by side
病bìngdisease

癫痫 names the seizure condition, and 病 marks it as an illness; together they mean epilepsy.

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 癲; 癫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
顛
顛diān癲diān
Same sound today

The traditional form 癲 uses 疒 (illness) for meaning and 顛 for sound; the simplified 癫 is a later shorthand.

Open 癫 →

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 癇; 痫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
閒
閒xián癇⁰xián
Same sound today

The traditional form 癇 pairs 疒 (illness) with 閒 for the sound; the simplified 痫 is a later shorthand.

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.

Open 病 →

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