囟 (xìn) - Fontanel — the soft spot on a baby's

囟Tone 4

xìn ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 囗

想信

囟 · xìn

Fontanel — the soft spot on a baby's head where the skull bones have not yet fused together.

Fontanel — the soft spot on a baby's

Usage highlights

FontanelAnterior fontanelPosterior fontanelFontanel closureFontanel bulgeFontanel depression

Synonyms

  • 囟门— fontanel (the anatomical term)
  • 顶门— top of the head (colloquial)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The baby's fontanel (囟门) is still soft.
  • The fontanel usually closes by 18 months (囟门闭合).
  • A sunken fontanel can indicate dehydration (囟门凹陷).

Collocations

  • Fontanel(囟门)
  • Anterior fontanel(前囟)
  • Posterior fontanel(后囟)
  • Fontanel closure(囟门闭合)
  • Fontanel bulge(囟门膨出)
  • Fontanel depression(囟门凹陷)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, the condition of the fontanel is observed as an indicator of an infant's health.
  • The character's shape pictographically represents the cranial sutures meeting at the fontanel.

FAQ