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平静 (píng jìng) — calm, peaceful, tranquil

Definition

平静 describes a calm emotional or atmospheric state — a person's mood, tone, or a scene with no disturbance. It often implies having come to rest after turbulence, more serene than 安静 (which centers on quietness) and less weighty than 宁静.

adjective
calmpeacefultranquil

Examples

  • 平静。
    Tā de xīn qíng hěn píng jìng.
    His mood is calm.
  • 平静，。
    Zhè ge dì fāng hěn píng jìng, shì hé xiū xi.
    This place is peaceful, suitable for rest.
  • 平静。
    Tā shuō huà de yǔ qì hěn píng jìng.
    The tone of his speech is calm.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

平píngcalm
静jìngquiet

平静 joins 平 calm and 静 quiet to describe a tranquil state.

Characters in this word

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

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 靜; 静 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 靜, not the simplified 静, uses 青 and 爭 for sound; an old source also treats 青 (blue) as a meaning part.

Open 静 →
Appears in
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