神经科 (shén jīng kē) — neurology department (in a hospital)

Definition

noun
neurology department (in a hospital)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 神经科。
    Tā zài shén jīng kē gōng zuò.
    He works in the neurology department.
  • ，神经科。
    Wǒ tóu téng, yào qù shén jīng kē kàn kàn.
    I have a headache; I need to go to the neurology department to have it checked.
  • 神经科。
    shén jīng kē De yī shēng hěn yǒu jīng yàn.
    The doctors in the neurology department are very experienced.

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.

神经nerve
神shénspirit经jīngmeridian
偏正Modifier + head
科kēdepartment

神经 gives nerves, and 科 is a department, so the meaning is a hospital department for nerves.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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
斗斗dòumeasuring tool
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé科kē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

科 pairs 禾, which gives the hé sound, with 斗, a measuring tool.

Open 科 →
Appears in
Hospital & Clinic

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