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验尸 (yàn shī) — (noun) autopsy; postmortem examination; (verb-object) to perform an autopsy; to conduct a postmortem

Definition

A 离合词 (separable verb-object): 验 and 尸 split for aspect/particles and objects (验了尸, 验一次尸). The verb form means 'to perform an autopsy'; the noun form refers to the procedure itself.

noun
autopsypostmortem examination(verb-object) to perform an autopsyto conduct a postmortem
Measure word · 次

Examples

  • 验尸。
    yàn shī Bào gào xiǎn shì sǐ zhě sǐ yú zhòng dú.
    The autopsy report shows the deceased died of poisoning.
  • ，。
    Fǎ yī yǐ jīng yàn le shī, què rèn méi yǒu wài shāng.
    The forensic doctor has already performed the autopsy and confirmed no external injuries.
  • 验尸。
    Jǐng chá qǐng yī shēng lái yàn shī.
    The police called a doctor to perform an autopsy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

验yànexamine
尸shīcorpse

Examine a corpse: 验 is the checking action, 尸 the body.

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 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →

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 屍; 尸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
死死sǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī屍shī
Same sound today

The traditional form 屍 pairs 尸 as a sound part with 死 as a meaning part; this evidence does not explain 尸 alone.

Open 尸 →
Appears in
Medicine & Treatment5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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