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隔膜 (gé mó) — (noun) diaphragm (anatomy); (noun) estrangement, lack of mutual understanding, barrier in communication

Definition

A rare HSK 7 noun with two unrelated senses: the physical diaphragm (anatomy), and a figurative 'estrangement' or communication barrier between people.

noun
diaphragm (anatomy)estrangementlack of mutual understandingbarrier in communication

Examples

  • 隔膜。
    Héng gé mó shì rén tǐ zhòng yào de hū xī jī.
    The diaphragm is an important respiratory muscle in the human body.
  • 隔膜，。
    Tā men zhī jiān chǎn shēng le gé mó, hěn shǎo jiāo liú.
    An estrangement developed between them, and they rarely communicate.
  • 隔膜。
    Cháng qī bù gōu tōng huì dǎo zhì fū qī jiān de gé mó yuè lái yuè shēn.
    Long-term lack of communication can deepen the estrangement between spouses.

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.

隔géseparate
膜mómembrane

隔 (separate) + 膜 (membrane) names a separating film, then a communication barrier.

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
阝Written in full as阜fùwall
Sound part声符shēngfú
鬲
鬲gé隔gé
Same sound today

隔 puts 阝, a wall, with 鬲, which gives the sound gé, to show separating with a wall.

Open 隔 →

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
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò膜mó
Same sound today

膜 combines ⺼ (written in full as 肉) with 莫, which gives the character its sound.

Open 膜 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsOrgans & Anatomy

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