髅

髏

lóu

娄 + 骨

Definitions

lóu used in 髑髏|髑髅[dú lóu] and 骷髏|骷髅[kū lóu]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 骨 represents the meaning and 娄 represents the sound. Simplified form of 髏.

Semantic: 骨 Phonetic: 娄

About

髅 is a phono-semantic compound and the simplified form of 髏. The bone radical 骨 on the left indicates the meaning 'bone', while the right-hand component 娄 (lóu), a simplification of traditional 婁, provides the pronunciation. Almost always found in the binome 骷髅 (kūlóu) meaning 'skeleton' or 'human skull', the character rarely appears alone. In that compound it combines with another bone-related character to denote specifically a skull or the skeletal remains of a dead body.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个洞穴里发现了一具骷髅。

Zhège dòngxué lǐ fāxiànle yī jù kūlóu.

A skeleton was discovered in this cave.

他万圣节装扮成了一个骷髅。

Tā wànshèngjié zhuāngbàn chéngle yīgè kūlóu.

He dressed up as a skeleton for Halloween.

海盗的旗帜上通常画着骷髅头。

Hǎidào de qízhì shàng tōngcháng huàzhe kūlóutóu.

Pirate flags usually have a skull drawn on them.

医学课上，学生们正在研究人体骷髅。

Yīxué kè shàng, xuéshēngmen zhèngzài yánjiū réntǐ kūlóu.

In the medical class, the students are studying the human skeleton.

古老的墓穴中摆放着许多骷髅遗骸。

Gǔlǎo de mùxué zhōng bàifàngzhe xǔduō kūlóu yíhái.

Many skeletal remains were placed in the ancient tomb.

那个骷髅模型看上去非常逼真吓人。

Nàgè kūlóu móxíng kàn shàngqù fēicháng bīzhēn xiàrén.

That skeleton model looks extremely realistic and scary.

考古学家小心翼翼地清理着出土的骷髅。

Kǎogǔ xuéjiā xiǎoxīn yìyì de qīnglǐzhe chūtǔ de kūlóu.

The archaeologist carefully cleaned the unearthed skeleton.

通过分析骷髅的磨损痕迹，可以推断其生前职业。

Tōngguò fēnxī kūlóu de mósǔn hénjì, kěyǐ tuīduàn qí shēngqián zhíyè.

By analyzing the wear marks on the skeleton, one can infer the person's occupation during their lifetime.

Related Characters

Component: 娄

Component: 骨

髅