软膏 (ruǎn gāo) — ointment | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

ointment

Examples

软膏。
Yī shēng gěi bìng rén kāi le yì zhī ruǎn gāo.
The doctor prescribed a tube of ointment for the patient.
软膏。
Zhè zhǒng ruǎn gāo duì pí fū guò mǐn hěn yǒu xiào.
This ointment is very effective for skin allergies.
软膏，。
Měi tiān zǎo wǎn tú mǒ yí cì ruǎn gāo, jiān chí yì zhōu.
Apply the ointment every morning and evening for one week.

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.

软 means soft, and 膏 means paste; together they describe a soft medicinal paste.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

耎

耎ruǎn軟ruǎn

Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

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

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

高

高gāo膏gào

Same sound today

膏 combines 高 as a sound part with 肉 (meat) as its meaning part.

Appears in

Medicine & Treatment

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