高压氧 (gāo yā yǎng) — hyperbaric oxygen (HBO), a medical treatment us…

Definition

noun

hyperbaric oxygen (HBO), a medical treatment using oxygen at high pressure

高压氧。
Yī shēng jiàn yì tā zuò gāo yā yǎng zhì liáo.
The doctor recommended he undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
高压氧。
gāo yā yǎng Kě yǐ cù jìn shāng kǒu yù hé.
Hyperbaric oxygen can promote wound healing.
高压氧。
Zhè jiā yī yuàn yǒu zuì xīn de gāo yā yǎng shè bèi.
This hospital has the latest hyperbaric oxygen equipment.

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.

高压high pressure

偏正Modifier + head

高 says the pressure is high, and 氧 is the oxygen used.

Characters in this word

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

高 was drawn as a tall building.

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

厭土壓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔdust

Sound part声符shēngfú

厭

厭yàn壓yā

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

養

養yǎng氧yǎng

Same sound today

氧 pairs 气 (gas) with 養 (to nourish), and 養 gives the sound yǎng.