About
As a phono-semantic compound, 胚 combines the semantic radical 月 (flesh) on the left, which places it among words for body parts and biological tissues, with the phonetic component 丕 on the right, which guides its pronunciation. Its core meaning is an embryo, a fetus in its earliest developmental stage, referring to the initial cellular formation of a plant or animal before it takes full shape. From this sense of biological beginnings, its usage extends metaphorically to describe any preliminary stage, rough outline, or unfinished foundation of a physical object or abstract idea, marking a shift from a specific biological term to a descriptor for anything in a nascent, undeveloped state.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
科学家研究胚胎。
胚胎发育需要营养。
胚芽在土壤中生长。
这个胚胎处于早期阶段。
研究人员观察胚胎的细胞分裂。
胚层分化形成各种组织。
在实验室里，他们培育了人工胚胎。
通过基因编辑，科学家能够修改胚胎的遗传信息。