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急性子 (jí xìng zi) — impatient or impetuous person

Definition

A noun meaning 'impatient, hot-tempered person' or that impatient temperament itself. Often used as 你别那么急性子 ("don't be so impatient").

noun
impatient or impetuous person
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 急性子，。
    Tā shì gè jí xìng zi, zuò shén me shì dōu zháo jí.
    He's an impatient person; he's in a hurry with everything.
  • 急性子，。
    Nǐ bié nà me jí xìng zi, màn màn shuō.
    Don't be so impatient; speak slowly.
  • 急性子。
    Tā de jí xìng zi ràng tā jīng cháng hé bié rén chǎo jià.
    Her impatient personality often makes her quarrel with others.

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.

急性quick nature
急jíquick性xìngnature
偏正Modifier + head
子zǐsuffix

The seed is named for its 急 (quick) 性 (nature), with 子 closing the name.

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
及
及jí急jí
Same sound today

急 pairs 心 (heart) with 及, which gives the sound.

Open 急 →

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 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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