周期性 (zhōu qī xìng) — periodicity; cyclicity

Definition

A formal/academic noun meaning 'periodic nature' — the tendency of an event to repeat at regular intervals (e.g. disease flare-ups, economic crises, tides). Derived from 周期 ('a cycle/period') + 性 ('-ity, the quality of').

noun
periodicitycyclicity

Examples

  • 周期性。
    Zhè zhǒng jí bìng de fā zuò jù yǒu zhōu qī xìng.
    The onset of this disease has periodicity.
  • 周期性。
    Jīng jì xué jiā yán jiū jīng jì wēi jī de zhōu qī xìng.
    Economists study the periodicity of economic crises.
  • 周期性。
    Cháo xī de zhōu qī xìng shì yóu yuè qiú yǐn lì yǐn qǐ de.
    The periodicity of tides is caused by the moon's gravity.

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.

周期cycle
周zhōucycle期qīperiod
偏正Modifier + head
性xìngproperty

周期 means cycle and 性 gives the sense of a property, so the result is periodicity.

Characters in this word

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

The oldest form of 周 drew a jade artifact with carved patterns. It was later borrowed for a place name, so an extra mark was added to distinguish it.

Open 周 →

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
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí期qī
Same sound today

The original form paired 其 for its sound with 日 (sun). A related form changed that sun to 月, and this later developed into 期.

Open 期 →

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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