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显性 (xiǎn xìng) — (genetics) dominant; conspicuous, visible, obvious

Definition

显性 is a technical/formal adjective, most often used in genetics for 'dominant' (vs. recessive). In general use it means 'visible/obvious,' stronger and more written than 明显.

adjective
(genetics) dominantconspicuousvisibleobvious

Examples

  • 显性。
    xiǎn xìng Jī yīn zài zǐ dài zhōng gèng róng yì biǎo xiàn chū lái.
    Dominant genes are more likely to be expressed in offspring.
  • 显性。
    Zhè zhǒng jí bìng de xiǎn xìng tè zhēng fēi cháng míng xiǎn.
    The conspicuous features of this disease are very obvious.
  • 显性，。
    Tā de bù mǎn qíng xù shì xiǎn xìng de, shuí dōu néng kàn chū lái.
    His dissatisfaction is obvious — anyone can see it.

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.

显xiǎnvisible
性xìngquality

显 shows visible or dominant, and 性 gives a quality or state, so the word means a visible or dominant trait.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 顯; 显 is its simplified writing.

  • 日日rìsun
  • 絲絲sīsilk
  • 頁頁yèperson's head

For 显, the traditional form 顯 is made of 日 (sun), 絲 (silk), and 頁 (person's head).

Open 显 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.