胸椎 (xiōng zhuī) — thoracic vertebra | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A technical anatomy term: one of the vertebrae in the middle (chest) section of the spine, between the neck (颈椎) and the lower back (腰椎).

noun

thoracic vertebra

Examples

胸椎。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de xiōng zhuī.
The doctor examined his thoracic vertebra.
胸椎。
Zhè jié xiōng zhuī shì bèi bù de zhòng yào bù fen.
This thoracic vertebra is an important part of the back.
胸椎，。
Tā de xiōng zhuī shòu le shāng, xū yào zuò shǒu shù.
His thoracic vertebra was injured and needed surgery.

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.

椎zhuīvertebra

The 椎 located in the 胸 region, a chest vertebra.

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

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

匈

匈xiōng胸xiōng

Same sound today

胸 adds 肉 (meat/flesh) to the original form 匈, which provides the sound.

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

木隹椎

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

隹

隹zhuī椎zhuī

Same sound today

椎 combines 木 (tree) with 隹, which gives the sound zhuī; the idea is a piece of wood used to smash things, a hammer or mallet.

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