腺
gland, (kokuji)
Readings
On'yomi
- セン
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
腺 centers on a biological gland: an organ that secretes substances. As a kokuji created in Japan, it has no extended abstract meanings.
Most common words using 腺
20 of 106- 甲状腺こうじょうせん
thyroid (gland)
- 前立腺ぜんりつせん
prostate (gland)
- 腺せん
gland
- 乳腺にゅうせん
mammary gland
- 涙腺るいせん
tear gland; lacrimal gland
- 扁桃腺へんとうせん
tonsil
- 汗腺かんせん
sweat gland
- 胸腺きょうせん
thymus
- 性腺せいせん
gonad; sexual gland
- 腺腫せんしゅ
adenoma
- 前立腺肥大症ぜんりつせんひだいしょう
enlargement of the prostate
- アポクリン汗腺アポクリンかんせん
apocrine sweat gland
- アポクリン腺アポクリンせん
apocrine gland
- エクリン腺エクリンせん
eccrine gland
- カウパー腺カウパーせん
Cowper's gland; bulbourethral gland
- カウパー腺液カウパーせんえき
Cowper's fluid; pre-ejaculate; pre-cum
- サイナス腺サイナスせん
sinus gland
- スキーン腺スキーンせん
Skene's gland (possibly responsible for female ejaculation)
- バルトリン腺バルトリンせん
Bartholin's glands
- マイボーム腺マイボームせん
meibomian gland
Study
Etymology
腺 is a Japanese kokuji created in the Edo period for medical terminology. It combines ⺼ (flesh/body part) with 泉 (spring/fountain), suggesting a body part that secretes fluid like a spring.
Meaning mnemonic
The flesh radical ⺼ indicates a body part, and 泉 is a spring. Picture a gland as a spring inside the body that releases fluids.
Reading mnemonic
For セン, imagine a gland sending out secretions: send -> セン, and the gland sends fluids like a spring.