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态势 (tài shì) — situation, state of affairs (especially economic or developmental trends); posture, stance (especially military or strategic)

Definition

A formal noun for an evolving situation or strategic posture, often economic or military. Compare 局势 (overall situation) and 姿势 (a person's physical posture).

noun
situationstate of affairs (especially economic or developmental trends)posturestance (especially military or strategic)

Examples

  • 态势。
    Dāng qián de jīng jì tài shì bǐ jiào wěn dìng.
    The current economic situation is relatively stable.
  • 态势。
    Shuāng fāng jūn shì tài shì yǒu suǒ huǎn hé.
    The military posture between the two sides has eased somewhat.
  • 态势。
    Wǒ men yào mì qiè guān zhù shì chǎng fā zhǎn tài shì de biàn huà.
    We need to closely monitor changes in the market development situation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

态tàistate
势shìtendency

态 and 势 together give the overall appearance and tendency of a situation.

Characters in this word

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
太
太tài态tài
Same sound today

态 is made of 太, which gives the sound, and 心 (heart).

Open 态 →

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 勢; 势 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì勢shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 勢 combines 力, meaning power, with 埶 for the sound. The simplified 势 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 势 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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