可持续性 (kě chí xù xìng) — sustainability

Definition

noun
sustainability

Examples

  • 可持续性。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài tuī dòng kě chí xù xìng de fā zhǎn.
    The government is promoting sustainable development.
  • 可持续性。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī hěn zhòng shì huán jìng kě chí xù xìng.
    This company attaches great importance to environmental sustainability.
  • 可持续性。
    Wǒ men bì xū kǎo lǜ jīng jì kě chí xù xìng de wèn tí.
    We must consider the issue of economic sustainability.

Origin

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì持chí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

持 combines 手 (hand), for the idea of holding, with 寺, which gives the sound.

Open 持 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 續; 续 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧶠
𧶠𧶠續xù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 續 pairs 糸 (rope) with 𧶠 as the sound part; the simplified 续 is a later abbreviation.

Open 续 →

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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