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避孕药 (bì yùn yào) — contraceptive drug; the pill (oral contraceptive)

Definition

noun
contraceptive drugthe pill (oral contraceptive)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 避孕药。
    Tā měi tiān chī yí piàn bì yùn yào.
    She takes a contraceptive pill every day.
  • 避孕药。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì tā huàn yì zhǒng bì yùn yào.
    The doctor suggested she switch to a different contraceptive.
  • 避孕药。
    Zhè xiē bì yùn yào de fù zuò yòng hěn xiǎo.
    These contraceptive drugs have very mild side effects.

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.

避孕prevent pregnancy
避bìavoid孕yùnpregnancy
动宾Verb + object
药yàomedicine

"避孕" means to prevent pregnancy and "药" means medicine, so it is a drug for contraception.

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 →

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 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
樂
樂lè藥yào
Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Open 药 →
Appears in
Medicine & Treatment

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