膜

• Pinyin: mó
• Hanzi breakdown: 膜 = 月 (flesh/body) + 莫 (phonetic). A thin tissue or covering layer.

Meaning

Membrane; film; thin layer covering a surface.

Refers to thin layers in biological or material contexts. Biological: 细胞膜 (cell membrane), 角膜 (cornea), 鼓膜 (eardrum). Daily life: 保鲜膜 (plastic wrap), 手机膜 (phone screen protector). Also used for abstract thin coverings.

Examples

1. 新手机到了，你帮我贴个膜吧。 My new phone arrived — can you help me put on a screen protector?
2. 医生说他的角膜有轻微损伤，需要注意休息。 The doctor said his cornea has minor damage and he needs to rest.
3. 这种材料表面有一层保护膜，可以防水防尘。 This material has a protective film on its surface that's waterproof and dustproof.

Usage Guide

Context: biology, technology, daily life

Tone: technical

Do Say

• 手机贴膜了吗？(Did you put a screen protector on your phone?)
• 用保鲜膜包起来。(Wrap it in plastic wrap.)

Don't Say

• 把膜和模混淆 (膜 mó is membrane; 模 mó/mú is mold/pattern)

Origin & History

Phonetic compound with 莫 providing sound and 月 (flesh radical) indicating body tissue. Thin covering tissue.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal