脑垂体 (nǎo chuí tī) — pituitary gland

Definition

noun
pituitary gland

Examples

  • 脑垂体。
    Yī shēng fā xiàn tā de nǎo chuí tī yǒu xiē wèn tí.
    The doctor found some problems with his pituitary gland.
  • 脑垂体。
    nǎo chuí tī Fù zé fēn mì duō zhǒng zhòng yào jī sù.
    The pituitary gland is responsible for secreting many important hormones.
  • 脑垂体。
    Zhè zhǒng yào wù kě yǐ tiáo jié nǎo chuí tī de gōng néng.
    This medicine can regulate the function of the pituitary gland.

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.

脑nǎobrain
垂体hanging gland
垂chuíhang体tǐbody
偏正Modifier + head

脑 names the brain, and 垂体 is the gland hanging from it.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腦; 脑 is its simplified writing.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 巛巛chuānhair
  • 囟囟xìnhead; fontanel

In the traditional form 腦, the older part 匕 was replaced by a flesh part, while 巛 (hair) and 囟 (head; fontanel) stayed. The simplified 脑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 脑 →

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

垂 combines 𠂹 and 土 to draw flowers hanging down from a plant.

Open 垂 →

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.

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.

Open 体 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.