双生 (shuāng shēng) — twin (sibling)

Definition

A formal/written word for 'twin (sibling)'. Less common in everyday speech than the common compound 双胞胎.

noun
twin (sibling)
Measure word · 对
Easily confused

Examples

  • 双生。
    Tā yǒu yí duì shuāng shēng de jiě mèi.
    She has a pair of twin sisters.
  • 双生。
    Zhè duì shuāng shēng xiōng dì cháng dé hěn xiàng.
    These twin brothers look very alike.
  • 双生。
    shuāng shēng Xiàn xiàng zài yī xué shàng yǒu hěn duō yán jiū.
    The phenomenon of twins has been studied a lot in medicine.

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.

双shuāngtwo
生shēngborn

双 (two) + 生 (born): a pair born together, i.e. a twin.

Characters in this word

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

双 is made of two 又 parts side by side. Repeating 又 gives the sense of a pair.

Open 双 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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