胴体 (dòng tī) — trunk (of a slaughtered animal)

Definition

Literally 'body trunk', used in butchery (carcasses of pigs, cows) and anatomy. In everyday life people say 身体 or 躯干 instead.

noun

trunk (of a slaughtered animal)

Measure word · 个

胴体，。
Zhè zhī zhū de dòng tī hěn zhòng, dà yuē yǒu wǔ shí gōng jīn.
The trunk of this pig is very heavy, about fifty kilograms.
胴体。
Chú shī bǎ dòng tī qiē chéng kuài yòng lái zhǔ tāng.
The chef cut the trunk into pieces to make soup.
，胴体。
Jiě pōu kè shàng, xué shēng men zǐ xì dì guān chá zhe niú de dòng tī.
In anatomy class, the students carefully observed the trunk of a cow.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

胴dòngbody

胴 and 体 both refer to the body, so together they name the trunk of a carcass.

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.

月同胴

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròuflesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

同

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

胴 pairs 月 (flesh) with 同 as a sound hint. The evidence says this form expressed the meaning of a large intestine.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.