丙氨酸

bǐng'ānsuān

noun

Meanings

1 alanine (Ala) — an amino acid

Characters

third (Heavenly Stem); 'C-'

Examples

丙氨酸是构成蛋白质的二十种氨基酸之一。

Bǐng'ānsuān shì gòuchéng dànbáizhì de èrshí zhǒng ānjīsuān zhī yī.

Alanine is one of the twenty amino acids that make up proteins.

肝功能检查会测丙氨酸氨基转移酶。

Gān gōngnéng jiǎnchá huì cè bǐng'ānsuān ānjī zhuǎnyíméi.

Liver function tests measure alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Tips

usage

丙 is the third Heavenly Stem (甲乙丙丁...). In Chinese chemistry it stands in for the three-carbon prefix 'prop-/propan-' — so 丙氨酸 = 'propan-amine-acid' = alanine. The same logic gives 丙酮 (propanone/acetone) and 丙烯 (propene). Most often seen in the liver test 谷丙转氨酶 (ALT).

Stroke Order

丙 bǐng

氨 ān

酸 suān