成人式 (chéng rén shì) — coming-of-age ceremony, especially the Japanese Coming of Age Day ceremony

Definition

Borrowed term for Japan's Coming of Age Day ceremony, held each January for people who have turned 20. It is not a general Chinese term for coming-of-age rituals.

noun
coming-of-age ceremony, especially the Japanese Coming of Age Day ceremony

Examples

  • ，成人式。
    Měi nián yī yuè, rì běn dōu huì jǔ xíng chéng rén shì.
    Every January, Japan holds the coming-of-age ceremony.
  • 成人式。
    Tā chuān zhuó yí tào hé fú cān jiā le chéng rén shì.
    She wore a kimono to attend the coming-of-age ceremony.
  • 成人式。
    Rì běn de chéng rén shì shì yí gè zhòng yào de chuán tǒng jié rì.
    Japan's coming-of-age ceremony is an important traditional festival.

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.

成人adult
成chéngbecome人rénperson
动宾Verb + object
式shìceremony

成人 means becoming an adult, and 式 is a ceremony, so it names the coming-of-age ceremony.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →

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