器官

• Pinyin: qì guān
• Hanzi breakdown: 器 = four mouths + 犬 (dog) — many openings, hence a vessel or implement; 官 = 宀 (roof) + body underneath — a person with a defined role or function

Meaning

Organ. A part of the body with a specific biological function, such as the heart, lungs, liver, or kidneys.

Used in medical and biological contexts. Common collocations: 器官移植 (organ transplant), 器官捐献 (organ donation), 内脏器官 (internal organs), 感觉器官 (sensory organs). Also used in biology for plant organs. A key vocabulary item for discussing health, medicine, and biology.

Examples

1. 心脏是人体最重要的器官之一。 The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body.
2. 现在器官移植的技术已经很成熟了。 Organ transplant technology is already very mature now.
3. 医生建议他保护好自己的肝脏等器官。 The doctor advised him to take good care of his liver and other organs.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, biology, health

Tone: scientific

Do Say

• 他登记了器官捐献。(He registered for organ donation.)
• 抽烟会损害呼吸器官。(Smoking damages the respiratory organs.)

Don't Say

• 我的器官疼 without specifying which one (Don't say 'my organ hurts' vaguely — specify the organ, e.g. 我的胃疼 or 我的肝不舒服; 器官 is a generic category, not a specific body part)

Origin & History

A compound of 器 (vessel/implement/organ) and 官 (official/organ) — a bodily implement with an official function.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal