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新颖 (xīn yǐng) — novel, original, innovative

Definition

新颖 describes something that is new and original in design or idea — used for creative works, products, and styles. Unlike 新奇 (strange and eye-catching), 新颖 is about being fresh and clever rather than unusual.

adjective
noveloriginalinnovative

Examples

  • 新颖。
    Zhè ge shè jì hěn xīn yǐng.
    This design is very novel.
  • 新颖。
    Tā de xiě zuò fēng gé fēi cháng xīn yǐng.
    His writing style is very original.
  • 新颖。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī tuī chū le xīn yǐng de chǎn pǐn.
    This company launched innovative products.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

新xīnnew
颖yǐngoriginal/distinctive

新颖 puts 新 for new together with 颖 for original and distinctive, giving a fresh, inventive quality.

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 →

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 穎; 颖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
頃
頃qǐng穎yǐng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 穎 pairs 禾 (grain) with 頃, which gives the pronunciation; the simplified 颖 is a later shorthand.

Open 颖 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6

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