鼻窦 (bí dòu) — sinuses

Definition

noun
sinuses

Examples

  • 鼻窦，。
    Wǒ zuì jìn bí dòu fā yán le, hěn nán shòu.
    My sinuses have been inflamed recently; it's very uncomfortable.
  • 鼻窦。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì yòng yán shuǐ chōng xǐ bí dòu.
    The doctor recommends rinsing your sinuses with saline water.
  • 鼻窦。
    Tā yīn wèi bí dòu wèn tí jīng cháng tóu tòng.
    He often has headaches because of sinus issues.

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.

鼻bínose
窦dòucavity

The 窦 cavity is located in the 鼻.

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
自自zìnose
Sound part声符shēngfú
畀
畀bì鼻bí
Same sound today

鼻 pairs 自, meaning nose, with 畀, which gives the sound.

Open 鼻 →

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 竇; 窦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuéhole
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧶠
𧶠𧶠竇dòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 竇 pairs 穴 (hole) with 𧶠 for the sound; the simplified 窦 is a shorthand, and its lower part is not a sound part.

Open 窦 →

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