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遗骸 (yí hái) — remains of the dead; corpse

Definition

遗骸 (yí hái) is a formal, written word for the physical remains of a deceased person — typically a body or skeleton recovered in archaeological or forensic contexts. Paired with 具, as in 一具遗骸.

noun
remains of the deadcorpse
Measure word · 具

Examples

  • 遗骸。
    Kǎo gǔ xué jiā fā xiàn le gǔ rén de yí hái.
    Archaeologists discovered ancient human remains.
  • ，遗骸。
    Jīng guò duō nián, yí hái yǐ jīng nán yǐ biàn rèn.
    After many years, the remains are hard to identify.
  • 遗骸。
    Jǐng chá zhèng zài què rèn yí hái de shēn fèn.
    Police are confirming the identity of the 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
骸háibones/remains

“遗” means left behind and “骸” means bones or remains; together refer to the remains of the dead.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài骸hái
Same sound today

骸 pairs 骨, which shows the meaning is about bones, with 亥, which gives the sound.

Open 骸 →
Appears in
Body Parts

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