细胞 (xì bāo) — cell (biology) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cell (biology)

Measure word · 个

细胞。
xì bāo Shì shēng mìng de jī běn dān wèi.
Cells are the basic units of life.
细胞。
Yī shēng zài xiǎn wēi jìng xià guān chá zhè xiē xì bāo.
The doctor is observing these cells under a microscope.
。
Zhè zhǒng yào néng shā sǐ ái xì bāo.
This medicine can kill cancer cells.

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.

细 (fine) and 胞 (cell) combine to describe a very small cell, the basic unit of life.

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

囟

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

月包胞

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròuflesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

包

Same sound today

胞 pairs 月 (flesh) with 包, a shape representing a pregnant figure, to point to the membrane enclosing a fetus.

Appears in