脑神经 (nǎo shén jīng) — cranial nerves

Definition

noun

cranial nerves

Measure word · 条

Examples

脑神经。
Rén nǎo gòng yǒu shí èr duì nǎo shén jīng.
The human brain has twelve pairs of cranial nerves.
脑神经。
Yī shēng zhèng zài xué xí nǎo shén jīng de jiě pōu jié gòu.
The doctor is studying the anatomical structure of the cranial nerves.
脑神经。
nǎo shén jīng Kòng zhì zhe wǒ men de shì lì hé tīng lì.
Cranial nerves control our vision and hearing.

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

神经nerve

神shénspirit经jīngmeridian

偏正Modifier + head

Nerves in the 脑, from 脑 and 神经.

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 →

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

示示shìgod; deity

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

申shēn神shén

Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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.