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异性 (yì xìng) — (noun) the opposite sex; (adjective) of the opposite sex; heterosexual

Definition

Used as both noun ('the opposite sex') and adjective ('opposite-sex / heterosexual'). Refers specifically to gender difference, not other kinds of difference in nature.

noun
the opposite sex
adjective
of the opposite sexheterosexual

Examples

  • 异性。
    Tā bú tài shàn cháng hé yì xìng dǎ jiāo dào.
    He's not very good at dealing with the opposite sex.
  • 异性。
    Gōng sī tí chàng yì xìng yuán gōng zhī jiān de píng děng hé zuò.
    The company promotes equal cooperation between employees of the opposite sex.
  • 异性。
    yì xìng Péng you zhī jiān yě kě yǐ yǒu chún cuì de yǒu yì.
    Friends of the opposite sex can also have pure friendship.

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.

异yìdifferent
性xìngsex/nature

“异” (different) describes the kind of “性” (sex or nature), as in the opposite sex.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 異; 异 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 異 depicts a person with a mask 田 over the face, so the face looks different. The simplified 异 is a later shorthand.

Open 异 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Romance & Marriage

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