noun HSK 6
Traditional 細胞膜
bāo
cell membrane · plasma membrane

Meaning

A biological term referring to the thin, flexible barrier that surrounds the cell and separates its internal contents from the external environment. It controls what enters and exits the cell, maintaining the cell's integrity and allowing selective transport of substances.

Usage

This is a technical scientific term used primarily in biology, medicine, and academic contexts. It's commonly encountered in textbooks, research papers, and educational settings. In everyday conversation, non-specialists rarely use this term unless discussing biology or health topics.

Examples

  1. 01
    细胞膜控制物质进出细胞。
    bāo kòng zhì zhì jìn chū bāo.
    The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell.
  2. 02
    这种病毒能够穿透细胞膜进入细胞内部。
    Zhè zhǒng bìng néng gòu chuān tòu bāo jìn bāo nèi .
    This virus can penetrate the cell membrane and enter the interior of the cell.

Characters

Measure words

  • céng一层细胞膜

Common collocations

  • 细胞膜结构
    bāo jié gòu
    cell membrane structure
  • 细胞膜的通透性
    bāo de tōng tòu xìng
    permeability of the cell membrane
  • 穿过细胞膜
    chuān guò bāo
    to pass through the cell membrane

Origin

Compound word combining 细胞 (cell, literally 'fine chamber') with 膜 (membrane). The term was coined in modern Chinese as a translation of the Western scientific concept during the introduction of modern biology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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