骨质疏松症 (gǔ zhì shū sōng zhèng) — osteoporosis

Definition

noun
osteoporosis

Examples

  • 骨质疏松症。
    Lǎo nián rén róng yì dé gǔ zhì shū sōng zhèng.
    Elderly people are prone to osteoporosis.
  • 骨质疏松症。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì tā duō chī gài piàn lái yù fáng gǔ zhì shū sōng zhèng.
    The doctor advised her to take more calcium tablets to prevent osteoporosis.
  • 骨质疏松症，。
    gǔ zhì shū sōng zhèng Huì dǎo zhì gǔ tou biàn cuì, róng yì gǔ zhé.
    Osteoporosis can make bones brittle and prone to fractures.

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.

骨质疏松bone tissue is loose
骨gǔbone质zhìsubstance疏shūsparse松sōngloose
主谓Subject + predicate
症zhèngdisease

骨质疏松 describes loose bone tissue, and 症 adds the sense of disease.

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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 質; 质 is its simplified writing.

  • 斦斦yín
  • 貝貝bèi

The traditional form 質 is made up of 貝 and 斦; this describes 質, not the simplified 质.

Open 质 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 疋疋pǐ
  • 㐬㐬㐬

The form 疏 combines 㐬 with 疋, where 疋 supplies the sound.

Open 疏 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng松sōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

松 uses 木 (wood) to show it is a tree, and 公 to give the sound.

Open 松 →

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
疒疒nèdisease
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng症zhèng
Same sound today

The left part 疒 shows it is about disease. The right part 正 is used for the sound.

Open 症 →

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