里脊肉 (lǐ ji ròu) — tenderloin

Definition

noun
tenderloin
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 里脊肉，。
    Zhè kuài lǐ ji ròu hěn xīn xiān, shì hé kǎo zhe chī.
    This piece of tenderloin is very fresh; it's suitable for roasting.
  • 里脊肉，。
    Mā ma bǎ lǐ ji ròu qiē chéng báo piàn, zhǔn bèi zuò táng cù ròu.
    Mom cut the tenderloin into thin slices, preparing to make sweet and sour pork.
  • 里脊肉。
    Zhè jiā chāo shì de lǐ ji ròu bǐ nà jiā pián yi.
    This supermarket's tenderloin is cheaper than that one.

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.

里脊inner back
里lǐinside脊jǐspine/back
偏正Modifier + head
肉ròumeat

“里” means inside, “脊” means spine or back, and “肉” means meat, together naming the inner back meat.

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 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

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
肉肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì脊jǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The original drawing of 脊 showed a fish spine; later 肉 (flesh) was added to point to the meaning, while the upper 朿 part supplied the sound.

Open 脊 →

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

The original shape of 肉 showed ribs of an animal’s torso, or simply a slice of meat.

Open 肉 →

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