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异能 (yì néng) — supernatural power; extraordinary ability

Definition

异能 refers to supernatural or extraordinary abilities beyond normal human capacity (e.g. in fiction: telekinesis, time control). 异能 is the person who has such powers, or the power itself.

noun
supernatural powerextraordinary ability

Examples

  • 异能。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de zhǔ jué yōng yǒu kòng zhì shí jiān de yì néng.
    The protagonist of this movie possesses the supernatural power to control time.
  • 异能，。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū zhè zhǒng dòng wù de yì néng, yǐ biàn yìng yòng dào yī xué shàng.
    Scientists are studying this animal's extraordinary ability to apply it to medicine.
  • ，异能。
    Tā suī rán shēn tǐ cán jí, què yōng yǒu chāo hū cháng rén de yì néng.
    Although he is physically disabled, he possesses an extraordinary ability beyond ordinary people.

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yìextraordinary
能néngability

异 (extraordinary) and 能 (ability) mean a special ability.

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 →

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

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

Open 能 →
Appears in
Mythology & Folklore

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