胎

• Pinyin: tāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 胎 = 月 (flesh/body) + 台 (phonetic)

Meaning

Fetus; embryo; tire (of a vehicle). Also a measure word for pregnancies.

Two distinct meanings: (1) unborn child/embryo, as in 胎儿; (2) tire of a vehicle, as in 轮胎. As a measure word, counts pregnancies or births (头胎, 二胎).

Examples

1. 她怀的是第一胎，全家人都特别紧张。 This is her first pregnancy, and the whole family is especially anxious.
2. 车子的前胎爆了，得换一个新的。 The front tire blew out — we need to get a new one.
3. 这胎怀的是双胞胎，预产期在八月份。 She's pregnant with twins this time, due in August.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, automotive, family

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 她怀的是头胎。(This is her first pregnancy.)
• 轮胎没气了。(The tire is flat.)

Don't Say

• 混淆'胎'和'台' (Don't confuse 胎 with 台 — they sound the same but have completely different meanings)

Origin & History

Originally referred to the womb or embryo. The tire meaning is a semantic extension from the 'containing' aspect.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal