遗骨 (yí gǔ) — remains (of the deceased); skeletal remains

Definition

noun

remains (of the deceased)skeletal remains

Measure word · 具

遗骨。
Kǎo gǔ xué jiā zài yí zhǐ zhōng fā xiàn le xǔ duō yí gǔ.
Archaeologists discovered many skeletal remains at the site.
遗骨。
Wǒ men yīng gāi zūn zhòng shì zhě de yí gǔ.
We should respect the remains of the deceased.
，遗骨。
Zhàn zhēng jié shù hòu, rén men kāi shǐ xún zhǎo yù nàn zhě de yí gǔ.
After the war ended, people began searching for the remains of the victims.

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

遗 (left behind) and 骨 (bones) combine to mean bones left behind.

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.

辶貴遺

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.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

冎

冎guǎ骨gǔ

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

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Appears in