致癌 (zhì ái) — to cause cancer | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal/scientific verb meaning 'to cause cancer', used in technical, medical, and reporting contexts (e.g. 致癌物质 'carcinogen'). Less common than everyday ways to say something is harmful.

verb

to cause cancer

Examples

致癌。
Xī yān shì zhì ái de zhǔ yào yuán yīn zhī yī.
Smoking is one of the main causes of cancer.
致癌。
Zhè zhǒng huà xué wù zhì yǐ jīng bèi zhèng shí huì zhì ái.
This chemical has been proven to cause cancer.
。
Cháng qī jiē chù shí mián kě néng zhì duō zhǒng ái.
Long-term exposure to asbestos may cause multiple types of cancer.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

癌áicancer

致 (cause) and 癌 (cancer) combine to mean bringing about cancer.

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.

至攵致

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

至

至zhì致zhì

Same sound today

致 pairs 至, used for its sound, with 攵, written in full as 攴.

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

疒嵒癌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nèdisease

Sound part声符shēngfú

嵒

嵒yán癌

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

癌 combines 疒 (disease) with 嵒, a component used for its sound.

Appears in

Illness & Symptoms

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