颅 (lú) - Skull, cranium — refers to the bony structure

颅Tone 2

lú ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

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颅 · lú

Skull, cranium — refers to the bony structure that forms the head and encloses the brain.

Skull, cranium — refers to the bony structure

Usage highlights

SkullCraniumCranial cavityCranial nervesSkull baseIntracranial pressure

Synonyms

  • 头骨— skull, head bone
  • 脑壳— skull, brain shell (colloquial)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The skull protects the brain (颅骨保护大脑).
  • He suffered a cranial fracture (颅骨骨折).
  • Craniotomy is a surgical procedure (开颅手术).
  • The brain is housed within the cranium (颅腔).

Collocations

  • Skull(颅骨)
  • Cranium(头颅)
  • Cranial cavity(颅腔)
  • Cranial nerves(颅神经)
  • Skull base(颅底)
  • Intracranial pressure(颅内压)

Idioms

  • Smashed skull and bleeding brain(颅碎脑溅)
  • Break the skull to see the brain(破颅见脑)
  • Skull cracking and brains splattering(颅裂脑迸)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, the skull is considered one of the most important bony structures protecting the essential spirit.
  • The character appears in medical contexts dating back to ancient Chinese medical texts.
  • In modern usage, it's primarily medical/scientific with some metaphorical use in literature.

FAQ