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超声 (chāo shēng) — ultrasound; ultrasonic (sound waves beyond audible range, used in medical imaging and industrial testing)

Definition

noun
ultrasoundultrasonic (sound waves beyond audible range, used in medical imaging and industrial testing)

Examples

  • 超声。
    Yī shēng yòng chāo shēng jiǎn chá le bìng rén de shēn tǐ.
    The doctor used ultrasound to examine the patient's body.
  • 超声。
    Zhè zhǒng chāo shēng jì shù kě yǐ qīng xǐ yǎn jìng.
    This ultrasonic technology can clean glasses.
  • 超声，。
    Zuò chāo shēng de shí hou, yùn fù néng kàn dào yīng ér.
    During the ultrasound, the pregnant woman can see the baby.

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.

超chāobeyond
声shēngsound

Sound beyond the ordinary range: 超 means beyond and 声 means sound.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
走走zǒurun
Sound part声符shēngfú
召
召zhào超chāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

超 pairs 走, meaning “run,” with 召, which gives the sound.

Open 超 →

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng聲shēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →
Appears in
Medicine & Treatment

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