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功能性 (gōng néng xìng) — functional (attributive)

Definition

A -性 suffix turning 功能 ('function') into an adjective meaning 'functional' — describes something designed to serve a practical purpose (e.g. 功能性食品 'functional food'). Almost always used as an attributive before a noun, rarely as a predicate.

adjective
functional (attributive)

Examples

  • 功能性。
    Zhè kuǎn shǒu jī jù yǒu gōng néng xìng shè jì.
    This phone has a functional design.
  • 功能性。
    Gōng sī zhèng zài kāi fā gōng néng xìng shí pǐn.
    The company is developing functional foods.
  • 功能性。
    Zhè zhǒng gōng néng xìng cái liào hěn shí yòng.
    This functional material is very practical.

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.

功能function
功gōngmerit能néngability
联合Coordinate
性xìngproperty

功能 means function and 性 points to a property, so it describes something as having the property of function.

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
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng功gōng
Same sound today

功 puts 力 (strength) beside 工, which gives the sound gōng and means labour or work.

Open 功 →

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

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

Open 能 →

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 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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