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有劲 (yǒu jìn) — (adjective) energetic, vigorous; (adjective) interesting, fun

Definition

有劲 (yǒu jìn) has two uses: 'energetic, vigorous' (a person full of drive) and 'fun, interesting' (something engaging). For 'interesting,' it overlaps with 有趣 and 有意思, but here emphasizes something that gives you a buzz of excitement.

adjective
energeticvigorousinterestingfun

Examples

  • 有劲。
    Tā pǎo bù de shí hou tè bié yǒu yǒu jìn.
    He is especially energetic when running.
  • 有劲，。
    Zhè ge yóu xì zhēn yǒu jìn, dà jiā dōu xǐ huan wán.
    This game is really fun; everyone likes to play it.
  • 有劲，。
    Nǐ zuì jìn hěn yǒu yǒu jìn, měi tiān dōu qù yùn dòng.
    You've been very energetic lately, going to exercise every day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

有yǒuhave
劲jìnstrength

有 means have and 劲 means strength, so the word pictures having strength, hence energetic or lively.

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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 勁; 劲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng勁jìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 勁 pairs 力, meaning strength, with 巠, which gives the sound; the simplified 劲 is a shorthand and its parts are not the original ones.

Open 劲 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Personality & Traits

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