朴素 (pǔ sù) — plain, simple, unadorned

Definition

朴素 describes things that are plain and unadorned in style, looks, or character — physical objects, writing, or personality. Unlike 简单, it carries no sense of 'not difficult' and is closer to 朴实 (people's character).

adjective
plainsimpleunadorned

Examples

  • 朴素
    Tā xǐ huan chuān pǔ sù de yī fu.
    She likes to wear plain clothes.
  • 朴素
    Zhè piān wén zhāng fēng gé hěn pǔ sù.
    This article's style is very simple.
  • 朴素
    Tā xìng gé pǔ sù, bù xǐ huan fù zá de dōng xī.
    He has a simple personality and doesn't like complicated things.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

plain
simple

朴 carries plainness, and 素 adds a simple sense; together they mean unadorned.

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
Piáo
Same sound today

朴 pairs 木, a tree or wood, with 卜, which gives the sound.

Open 朴 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Open 素 →

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