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合理性 (hé lǐ xìng) — reasonableness; rationality

Definition

合理性 is the abstract noun for 'reasonableness' or 'rationality' — the quality of being logical and well-grounded, often used to judge plans, arguments, or policies. The suffix -性 turns the adjective 合理 into a noun.

noun
reasonablenessrationality

Examples

  • 合理性。
    Zhè ge fāng àn de hé lǐ xìng hái xū yào jìn yí bù lùn zhèng.
    The reasonableness of this plan still needs further discussion.
  • 合理性，。
    Tā de jiàn yì quē fá hé lǐ xìng, nán yǐ bèi cǎi nà.
    His suggestion lacks rationality and is hard to adopt.
  • 合理性。
    Wǒ men yīng dāng cóng hé lǐ xìng de jiǎo dù fēn xī zhè ge wèn tí.
    We should analyze this issue from the perspective of rationality.

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.

合理
合hématch理lǐreason
动宾Verb + object
性xìngquality

“合” means to match, “理” means reason, and “性” indicates a quality; together they mean reasonableness.

Characters in this word

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

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Open 合 →

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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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