链球菌 (liàn qiú jūn) — streptococcus (a genus of spherical, chain-form… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

streptococcus (a genus of spherical, chain-forming bacteria that can cause infections such as strep throat)

Measure word · 种

Examples

链球菌。
Yī shēng huái yí shì liàn qiú jūn gǎn rǎn yǐn qǐ de yān hóu yán.
The doctor suspected the pharyngitis was caused by a streptococcus infection.
链球菌。
Zhè zhǒng kàng shēng sù duì liàn qiú jūn yǒu hěn hǎo de xiào guǒ.
This antibiotic is very effective against streptococcus.
链球菌。
Shí yàn shì xū yào péi yǎng liàn qiú jūn lái zuò yán jiū.
The lab needs to culture streptococcus for research.

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.

球菌coccus

球qiúround菌jūngerm

偏正Modifier + head

"链" (chain), "球" (round), and "菌" (germ) together name chain-like round bacteria.

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 鏈; 链 is its simplified writing.

金連鏈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

連

連lián鏈liàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 鏈 pairs 金 (metal) with 連, which gives the sound; the simplified 链 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical parts.

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

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

求

求qiú球qiú

Same sound today

球 is built from 玉, meaning jade, and 求, which gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

艹囷菌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

囷

囷qūn菌jūn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艹 is a plant sign, and the lower 囷 gives the sound.

Appears in

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