政体 (zhèng tǐ) — system or form of government

Definition

noun

system or form of government

政体。
Měi gè guó jiā dōu yǒu zì jǐ dú tè de zhèng tǐ.
Every country has its own unique system of government.
政体。
Gǎi gé zhèng tǐ xū yào chōng fèn kǎo lǜ guó qíng.
Reforming the system of government requires full consideration of national conditions.
政体。
Bù tóng de zhèng tǐ duì jīng jì fā zhǎn yǒu bù tóng yǐng xiǎng.
Different forms of government have different effects on economic development.

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.

政zhènggovernment

体tǐbody/system

'政' points to government, while '体' suggests a body or system; together they name a form of government.

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

攴攴pūaction

Sound part声符shēngfú

正

Same sound today

政 combines 正, which gives the sound, with 攴, an action-related part.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Appears in