遗体 (yí tǐ) — remains (of a dead person)

Definition

遗体 specifically means the remains of a deceased person, treated with respect. 尸体 is the neutral 'corpse'; 遗物 refers to belongings left behind, not the body.

noun
remains (of a dead person)
Measure word · 具

Examples

  • 遗体。
    Tā de yí tǐ bèi ān zàng zài gōng mù lǐ.
    His remains were buried in a cemetery.
  • 遗体。
    Jiā shǔ zài tài píng jiān kàn dào le shì zhě de yí tǐ.
    The family saw the deceased's remains in the mortuary.
  • 遗体。
    Kē xué jiā duì zhè pī yí tǐ jìn xíng le jiǎn cè.
    Scientists conducted tests on this batch of remains.

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.

遗yíleft behind
体tǐbody

遗体 uses 遗 (left behind) with 体 (body) to mean the body left after death.

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 遺; 遗 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòmove
Sound part声符shēngfú
貴
貴guì遺yí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 遺 pairs 辶 (move) with 貴 as a sound part; the simplified 遗 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the old sound part.

Open 遗 →

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Body Parts

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