physiology

physiology — noun

1. the area of biology that examines how living bodies, organs, and cells normally

1.名詞C2
釋義

the area of biology that examines how living bodies, organs, and cells normally work

例句

In physiology class, Nora learned how kidneys clean the blood.

school subject: physiology class

Dr. Chen teaches physiology to first-year nursing students at the college.

teach physiology

同義詞
  • biology

    much broader, covering living things in general, not only how bodies function

  • anatomy

    a related field, but it studies structure rather than function

  • biomedical science

    broader and often includes disease, treatment, and laboratory methods beyond normal body function

文法句型

study physiology

teach physiology

physiology class

professor of physiology

用法筆記

Usually uncountable and common after verbs like study and teach, or in phrases such as professor of physiology. Distinguish from anatomy: physiology asks how living parts work, while anatomy looks at their shape and place.

常見錯誤

❌Anatomy explains how the kidneys clean the blood.
✅Physiology explains how the kidneys clean the blood.
💡Anatomy is about structure; physiology is about function.
❌Physiology are difficult for me.
✅Physiology is difficult for me.
💡As a subject name, physiology usually takes a singular verb.

2. the way a living body, an organ, or a body process works

2.名詞C2
釋義

the way a living body, an organ, or a body process works

例句

The book explains the physiology of sleep in clear, simple diagrams.

physiology of + process

The medicine changed the physiology of the heart within an hour.

change the physiology of + organ

同義詞
  • function

    simpler and broader, but less technical than physiology

  • functioning

    stresses operation in a general way and is less scientific

  • bodily processes

    a plain phrase that names the activities inside the body rather than the system as a whole

文法句型

the physiology of sleep

heart physiology

bird physiology

the body's physiology

用法筆記

Most often appears in the pattern physiology of + animal, organ, or process. Distinguish from sense 1: here the word names how something functions, not the subject or research field.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor explained the anatomy of sleep.
✅The doctor explained the physiology of sleep.
💡Sleep is a process, so the focus is on how it works, not on body structure.
❌The biology of the heart changed after the drug.
✅The physiology of the heart changed after the drug.
💡Biology is too broad here; physiology focuses on bodily function.