新生代 (Xīn shēng dài) — (geology) Cenozoic Era; (figurative) new generation (of people, talents, etc.)

Definition

A literal translation of 'Cenozoic Era' in geology, but more often used figuratively for 'new generation' of people, talents, or creators. Note the geological meaning is specifically the most recent geological era.

noun
(geology) Cenozoic Era(figurative) new generation (of people, talents, etc.)

Examples

  • 新生代。
    Kē xué jiā duì Xīn shēng dài de qì hòu biàn huà hěn gǎn xìng qù.
    Scientists are very interested in the climate changes of the Cenozoic Era.
  • 新生代。
    Zhè wèi Xīn shēng dài dǎo yǎn pāi de diàn yǐng hěn yǒu chuàng yì.
    This new generation director's film is very creative.
  • 新生代。
    Xīn shēng dài Zuò jiā zhèng zài gǎi biàn wén xué de fēng gé.
    The new generation of writers is changing the style of literature.

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.

新生new life
新xīnnew生shēnglife
偏正Modifier + head
代dàiera

新 'new' and 生 'life' form 'new life', which combines with 代 'era' for a new era of life.

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.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →

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