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机会主义 (jī huì zhǔ yì) — opportunism

Definition

Negative term for seizing advantage without principle — adjusting one's stance purely to benefit from circumstances, not genuine belief. Distinguish from a related ideology-noun pattern: it carries a strong critical or pejorative tone.

noun
opportunism

Examples

  • 机会主义。
    Tā de xíng wéi shì yì zhǒng míng xiǎn de jī huì zhǔ yì.
    His behavior is a clear form of opportunism.
  • ，机会主义。
    Zài xuǎn jǔ zhōng, jī huì zhǔ yì shì bú shòu huān yíng de cè lüè.
    In elections, opportunism is an unpopular strategy.
  • 机会主义。
    Pī píng zhě rèn wéi tā de zhèng cè shì chún cuì de jī huì zhǔ yì.
    Critics believe his policies are pure opportunism.

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.

机会opportunity
机jīopportunity会huìoccasion
联合Coordinate
主义doctrine
主zhǔ义yì

「机会」 gives opportunity and 「主义」 gives the sense of a doctrine, forming opportunism.

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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