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耳屎 (ěr shǐ) — earwax (colloquial)

Definition

Colloquial word for earwax (literally 'ear excrement'). The formal or medical term is 耵聍 (dīng níng); in everyday speech 耳屎 is much more common.

noun
earwax (colloquial)

Examples

  • 耳屎。
    Wǒ ěr duo lǐ yǒu hěn duō ěr shǐ.
    I have a lot of earwax in my ear.
  • 耳屎。
    Nǐ yīng gāi dìng qī qīng lǐ ěr shǐ.
    You should clean out your earwax regularly.
  • 耳屎。
    Yī shēng yòng yí gè gōng jù qǔ chū le ěr shǐ.
    The doctor used a tool to remove the earwax.

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.

耳ěrear
屎shǐexcrement

“耳” (ear) and “屎” (excrement) combine to mean the waxy substance from the ear.

Characters in this word

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

耳 is drawn as a picture of an ear.

Open 耳 →

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

屎 pairs 尸 (body) with 米, which came from dots showing faeces coming out of the body.

Open 屎 →
Appears in
Body PartsHygiene & Grooming

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