About
The character "膏" is structured with the phonetic component "高" above the semantic component "月", the latter deriving from the "meat" radical and signaling an association with fatty or fleshy substances. Etymologically, it initially denoted animal fat or grease, a concrete meaning found in classical usage. Its semantic scope later expanded to include various rich, oily, or creamy materials, such as medicinal ointments and pastes, evident in compounds like "膏药" (medicated plaster) and "牙膏" (toothpaste). Through metaphorical application, the character also came to describe abstract qualities of richness and fertility, as in the term "膏腴" for fertile land, illustrating a progression from a specific physical referent to broader conceptual applications.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我每天用牙膏刷牙。
这种药膏治疗湿疹。
奶奶经常贴膏药。
他的腿上打了石膏。
膏状物容易涂抹。
这种牙膏含有天然成分。
医生开了消炎药膏给他。
膏剂的保质期通常较长。