龙骨 (lóng gǔ) — (anatomy) backbone, spine; (nautical/aeronautical) keel, hull, fuselage; (traditional Chinese medicine) fossil fragments (used as a mineral remedy)

Definition

Literally 'dragon bone,' 龙骨 has three distinct senses: literally a fossilized bone used in traditional Chinese medicine, and figuratively the keel of a ship or the spine of the body. Context makes the meaning clear.

noun
(anatomy) backbonespine(nautical/aeronautical) keelhullfuselage(traditional Chinese medicine) fossil fragments (used as a mineral remedy)

Examples

  • 龙骨，。
    Zhè tiáo chuán de lóng gǔ fēi cháng jiān gù, néng dǐ yù fēng làng.
    The keel of this ship is very sturdy and can withstand storms.
  • 龙骨，。
    Tā shuāi shāng le lóng gǔ, xū yào zhù yuàn zhì liáo.
    He injured his spine in a fall and needs to be hospitalized.
  • 龙骨，。
    Yī shēng kāi le lóng gǔ zhè wèi yào, yòng lái ān shén.
    The doctor prescribed this dose of dragon bone (fossil fragments) to calm the nerves.

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.

龙lóngdragon
骨gǔbone

The 龙 part suggests a long supporting 骨, as in a keel or spine.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 龍; 龙 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龍 originally drew a sacred creature with a large mouth and a snake-like body; the simplified 龙 is the form written here.

Open 龙 →

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 →

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