(xuè yè) - blood in Mandarin
xuèyèTraditional: 血液
Translation
blood
Word origin
A compound of 血 (xuè, blood) and 液 (yè, liquid or fluid), the second character marking it as blood considered as a fluid.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 血 (xuè, blood) + 液 (yè, fluid)
Stroke order
血
液
Examples
。
The doctor took a little blood.
。
The blood test results are in.
。
Blood flows round the body without stopping.
。
The hospital badly needs blood at the moment.
。
This illness affects the blood.
血液 (xuè yè) is blood as a substance in the body, the word of medicine and biology. Blood tests are 血液检查, blood donation is 献血, and blood type is 血型.
Its plainer sibling 血 does the everyday work. Blood on your finger is 血, not 血液; you say 手上有血 and 流血. Swapping in 血液 there sounds like a lab report.
Pronunciation is the real trap. The dictionary reading is xuè, but a great many mainland speakers say xiě for the standalone character 血, especially in casual speech. In the compound 血液 it stays xuè, so learn the two-syllable word as a fixed unit and you sidestep the problem.
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血液: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "血液" (blood): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 47.