正常人 (zhèng cháng rén) — normal person, ordinary person | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A 'normal / ordinary person' — used to contrast with someone exceptional, unusual, or impaired. In clinical or psychological contexts it means a person without disorder or disability.

noun

normal personordinary person

Measure word · 个

Examples

正常人。
Tā zhǐ shì yí gè zhèng cháng rén.
He's just a normal person.
正常人。
zhèng cháng rén Yě huì shēng bìng.
Normal people get sick too.
正常人。
Zhè ge cè shì zhī zhēn duì zhèng cháng rén.
This test is only for normal people.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

正常

正zhèngnormal常chángusual

联合Coordinate

正常 means usual and sound, and 人 names a person, so it is an ordinary person.

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

丁

丁dīng正zhèng

Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

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

巾巾jīncloth

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng常cháng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

常 pairs 巾, a cloth, with 尚 as a sound part; the form originally referred to a lower garment.

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Appears in

People (General)

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