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典型 (diǎn xíng) — (noun) typical example, model, archetype; (adjective) typical, representative

Definition

典型 stresses 'typical, a textbook example' — a case that shows the features of its group. 代表 focuses on standing for or speaking for a group; 典范 is a praiseworthy model to imitate.

noun
typical examplemodelarchetype
adjective
typicalrepresentative
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 典型。
    Tā gěi wǒ men jǔ le yí gè diǎn xíng de lì zi.
    He gave us a typical example.
  • 典型，。
    Zhè ge gù shi zhōng de zhǔ rén gōng shì yí gè diǎn xíng, dài biǎo le nà ge shí dài de jīng shén.
    The protagonist in this story is a model, representing the spirit of that era.
  • 典型，。
    Zhè ge dì qū de jiàn zhù hěn diǎn xíng, fēi cháng yǒu tè sè.
    The architecture in this area is very typical, with distinct characteristics.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

典diǎnmodel
型xíngtype

典 and 型 both point to a model or type; together they mean a representative example.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 冊冊cèbooks
  • 丌丌qítable

典 puts 冊 (books) on a 丌 (table), showing official books resting on a table.

Open 典 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
刑
刑xíng型xíng
Same sound today

型 pairs 土 (earth) with 刑, which supplies the sound; the shape shows an earthen mold, hence form or pattern.

Open 型 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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