TongTong
Sign in

白介素 (bái jiè sù) — interleukin

Definition

A specialized term in immunology: a class of signaling proteins (cytokines) released by white blood cells that coordinate the immune response, including inflammation. Often abbreviated as IL-1, IL-2, etc. in both Chinese and English texts.

noun
interleukin

Examples

  • 白介素，。
    bái jiè sù Shì yì zhǒng zhòng yào de xì bāo yīn zǐ, cān yù miǎn yì fǎn yìng.
    Interleukin is an important cytokine that participates in immune responses.
  • 白介素。
    Yī shēng tōng guò jiǎn cè bái jiè sù de shuǐ píng lái pàn duàn yán zhèng chéng dù.
    Doctors determine the level of inflammation by testing interleukin levels.
  • 白介素。
    Zhè zhǒng xīn yào kě yǐ yì zhì bái jiè sù de huó xìng.
    This new drug can inhibit the activity of interleukin.

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.

白báiwhite blood cell
介素intercellular substance
介jièinter素sùsubstance
偏正Modifier + head

白 stands for white blood cells, and 介素 denotes an intercellular substance.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

白 is thought to picture either an acorn or a human head.

Open 白 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

介 shows a central human form with two marks around it, indicating being between.

Open 介 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Open 素 →
Appears in
Biology

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.