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脑膜 (nǎo mó) — meninges (the three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)

Definition

noun
meninges (the three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)
Measure word · 层

Examples

  • 脑膜。
    nǎo mó Fā yán huì yǐn qǐ jù liè tóu tòng.
    Inflammation of the meninges can cause severe headaches.
  • 脑膜。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le bìng rén de nǎo mó.
    The doctor examined the patient's meninges.
  • 脑膜。
    nǎo mó Shì bǎo hù dà nǎo de zhòng yào zǔ zhī.
    The meninges are important tissues that protect the brain.

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
膜mómembrane

脑 and 膜 together name the membranes around the brain.

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
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò膜mó
Same sound today

膜 combines ⺼ (written in full as 肉) with 莫, which gives the character its sound.

Open 膜 →
Appears in
Organs & Anatomy

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