依赖性 (yī lài xìng) — dependence (the state of relying on something or someone)

Definition

依赖性 is the noun for the STATE or tendency of depending on something — 依赖 is the verb/action. Often collocates with 强 / 强, 经济∼, 情感∼.

noun
dependence (the state of relying on something or someone)

Examples

  • 依赖性。
    Tā duì shǒu jī de yī lài xìng hěn qiáng.
    He has a strong dependence on his phone.
  • 依赖性。
    Cháng qī shǐ yòng zhè zhǒng yào wù huì chǎn shēng yī lài xìng.
    Long-term use of this drug can create dependence.
  • 依赖性。
    Jīng jì yī lài xìng shǐ zhè ge guó jiā hěn nán dú lì fā zhǎn.
    Economic dependence makes it difficult for this country to develop independently.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

依赖rely on
依yīrely赖làirely
联合Side by side
性xìngnature

依赖 (rely on) and 性 (nature) form the state of relying on something.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénhuman
Sound part声符shēngfú
衣
衣yī依yī
Same sound today

依 is made from 亻, a person, plus 衣, which gives its sound.

Open 依 →

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 賴; 赖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry
Sound part声符shēngfú
剌
剌là賴lài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賴 uses 貝 (a cowry) for profit and 剌 for the sound; the simplified 赖 is a shorthand.

Open 赖 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

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