经血 (jīng xuè) — menses, menstruation

Definition

noun
mensesmenstruation

Examples

  • 经血。
    Tā de jīng xuè bú tài zhèng cháng.
    Her menses are not quite normal.
  • 经血。
    jīng xuè Yě chēng wéi yuè jīng.
    Menses are also called menstruation.
  • 经血。
    Dài fu wèn tā jīng xuè de qíng kuàng.
    The doctor asked about her menses.

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.

经jīngmenstruation
血xuèblood

经 refers to menstruation and 血 to blood, together meaning menstrual blood.

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 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.

  • 一一yīdrop of blood
  • 皿皿mǐncontainer

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

Open 血 →

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