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神经系统 (shén jīng xì tǒng) — nervous system

Definition

noun
nervous system
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 神经系统，。
    shén jīng xì tǒng Shì rén tǐ de zhòng yào zǔ chéng bù fen, fù zé chuán dì xìn hào.
    The nervous system is an important part of the human body, responsible for transmitting signals.
  • 神经系统。
    Cháng qī yā lì huì duì shén jīng xì tǒng zào chéng sǔn hài.
    Long-term stress can cause damage to the nervous system.
  • 神经系统。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì duō zuò yùn dòng lái zēng qiáng shén jīng xì tǒng de gōng néng.
    Doctors recommend exercising more to strengthen the function of the nervous system.

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jīngchannel
偏正Modifier + head
系统system
系xìconnection统tǒngunifying
联合Coordinate

神经 refers to nerves, and 系统 means system, together naming the body's nerve network.

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 →

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

系 is made by putting together 手 (hand) and 糸 (silk).

Open 系 →

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 統; 统 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
充
充chōng統tǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 統 uses 糸 as a meaning part and 充 as a sound part; the simplified 统 is a later shorthand, so this story is about 統, not about 统's parts.

Open 统 →
Appears in
Organs & Anatomy

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