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脑细胞 (nǎo xì bāo) — brain cell

Definition

noun
brain cell
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 脑细胞。
    Duō hē shuǐ duì nǎo xì bāo yǒu hǎo chù.
    Drinking more water is good for brain cells.
  • 脑细胞。
    Xué xí xīn dōng xī néng duàn liàn nǎo xì bāo.
    Learning new things can exercise brain cells.
  • 脑细胞。
    Áo yè huì shāng hài nǎo xì bāo.
    Staying up late harms brain cells.

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
细胞cell
细xìtiny胞bāocell
偏正Modifier + head

脑 (brain) and 细胞 (cell) combine to name a brain cell.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
囟
囟xìn細xì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

Open 细 →

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
月Written in full as肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo胞bāo
Same sound today

胞 pairs 月 (flesh) with 包, a shape representing a pregnant figure, to point to the membrane enclosing a fetus.

Open 胞 →
Appears in
BiologyOrgans & Anatomy

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