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主观 (zhǔ guān) — subjective

Definition

主观 describes judgments or opinions shaped by personal feelings or biases rather than facts — the opposite of 客观 ('objective'). Often used with 主观能动性 ('subjective initiative') in more formal or academic contexts.

adjective
subjective

Examples

  • 主观，。
    Tā de kàn fǎ tài zhǔ guān le, wǒ men bì xū kǎo lǜ shì shí.
    His opinion is too subjective; we must consider the facts.
  • ，主观。
    Zuò jué dìng de shí hou, bù néng zhī kào zhǔ guān de gǎn jué.
    When making decisions, you can't just rely on subjective feelings.
  • 主观，。
    Zhè ge bào gào hěn zhǔ guān, méi yǒu yǐn yòng rèn hé shù jù.
    This report is very subjective; it doesn't cite any data.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

主zhǔone's own
观guānview

主 means one's own and 观 means view, making a view from one's own side.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 觀; 观 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn觀guān
Same sound today

The traditional form 觀 uses 見 (see) for meaning and 雚 for sound.

Open 观 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Attitudes & Opinions

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