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避孕 (bì yùn) — (noun) contraception; (verb-object, separable) to practice contraception, to avoid pregnancy

Definition

避孕 (bì yùn) is a separable verb-object phrase meaning 'to prevent pregnancy' or, as a noun, 'contraception'. The verb-object can split to insert aspect/quantities, as in 避一下孕 (avoid pregnancy for a bit).

noun
contraception(verb-object, separable) to practice contraceptionto avoid pregnancy

Examples

  • 避孕。
    Tā men zhèng zài kǎo lǜ cǎi qǔ nǎ zhǒng bì yùn cuò shī.
    They are considering which contraceptive measure to take.
  • 。
    Tā jiàn yì zhàng fu shǐ yòng bì yùn tào.
    She suggested that her husband use a condom.
  • 。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì tā zàn shí bì yí xià yùn.
    The doctor advised her to avoid pregnancy for a while.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

避bìavoid
孕yùnpregnancy

避 means avoid, and 孕 means pregnancy; 避孕 is the act of avoiding pregnancy.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì避bì
Same sound today

避 is built from 辶, a walking-related form, plus 辟, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 避 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

孕 is drawn as a pregnant woman with a fetus.

Open 孕 →
Appears in
Medicine & Treatment

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