刺激性 (cì jī xìng) — (noun) irritant or stinging quality (physical or chemical irritation); (noun) stimulating or pungent quality (e.g., of flavors, experiences)

Definition

A noun for the irritant or stimulating quality of something — physical/chemical irritation (e.g., chemicals on skin) or sensory/emotional impact (e.g., spicy food, a vivid film). The suffix 性 turns the verb 刺激 into an abstract quality.

noun
irritant or stinging quality (physical or chemical irritation)stimulating or pungent quality (e.g., of flavors, experiences)

Examples

  • 刺激性，。
    Zhè zhǒng huà xué pǐn de cì jī xìng hěn qiáng, jiē chù pí fū huì yǐn qǐ téng tòng.
    This chemical has strong irritancy; contact with skin can cause pain.
  • 刺激性，。
    Zhè kuǎn là jiāo jiàng de cì jī xìng shì zhōng, bú huì tài là.
    This chili sauce has a moderate pungency and isn't too spicy.
  • 刺激性。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de shì jué cì jī xìng ràng rén yìn xiàng shēn kè.
    The visual stimulation of this movie makes a deep impression.

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.

刺激stimulate
刺cìprick激jīstimulate
联合Side by side
性xìngnature/quality

刺 and 激 suggest pricking and stimulating, and 性 marks the resulting quality.

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
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì刺cì
Same sound today

刺 pairs 刂 (knife) with 朿, which gives the sound; the knife part fits actions like stabbing or pricking.

Open 刺 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
敫
敫jiǎo激jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Open 激 →

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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