noun HSK 5
Traditional 頸
neck
Meaning
颈 refers to the neck, the part of the body connecting the head to the torso. It's a more formal or literary term compared to the colloquial 脖子 (bózi). This character appears in anatomical terms, medical contexts, and in describing objects with neck-like structures.
Usage
In everyday conversation, Chinese speakers more commonly use 脖子 (bózi) for neck. 颈 appears primarily in formal writing, medical terminology, compound words like 颈椎 (neck vertebrae), or in literary contexts. It's also used for neck-like parts of objects, such as bottle necks.
Examples
- 01长期使用电脑可能导致颈椎病。.Long-term computer use may lead to cervical spondylosis.
- 02这个项目遇到了瓶颈，进展缓慢。, .This project has hit a bottleneck and progress is slow.
Common collocations
- 颈椎病cervical spondylosis
- 颈动脉carotid artery
- 瓶颈bottleneck
- 颈部疼痛neck pain
Origin
The traditional form 頸 combines 頁 (head radical) with 巠 (phonetic component), indicating the body part beneath the head. The simplified form 颈 uses 页 as the simplified head radical.