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原形 (yuán xíng) — original form, true form

Definition

原形 means 'original / true form' — the form something had before being changed, hidden, or modified. Pairs with 现出/露出 (reveal) or 恢复/保留 (restore/keep), unlike 形状 (general shape) or 形式 (style/format).

noun
original formtrue form

Examples

  • 原形。
    Yāo guài zhōng yú xiàn chū le yuán xíng.
    The monster finally revealed its true form.
  • 原形。
    Zhè ge zì de yuán xíng shì yí gè jiǎ gǔ wén fú hào.
    The original form of this character is an oracle bone script symbol.
  • 原形，。
    Dēng jì biǎo xū yào bǎo liú yuán xíng, bú yào suí biàn xiū gǎi.
    The registration form needs to keep its original form; don't modify it casually.

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.

原yuánoriginal
形xíngform

原 gives original and 形 gives form, together meaning the original or true form.

Characters in this word

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

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
井
井jǐng形xíng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Open 形 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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