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气派 (qì pài) — (noun) imposing manner, dignified air, style; (adjective) impressive, stylish, magnificent

Definition

气派 stresses a dignified, impressive presence — used of buildings, decor, or a person's bearing. 气势 adds power or vigor, while 神气 leans toward a confident or even cocky look.

noun
imposing mannerdignified airstyle
adjective
impressivestylishmagnificent

Examples

  • 气派。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de zhuāng xiū hěn yǒu qì pài.
    The decoration of this restaurant has a lot of style.
  • 气派。
    Xīn gài de tú shū guǎn kàn qǐ lái fēi cháng qì pài.
    The newly built library looks very impressive.
  • 气派。
    Tā chuān xī zhuāng de yàng zi zhēn yǒu qì pài.
    He really has a dignified air when he wears a suit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

气qìair, spirit
派pàistyle, manner

气 'air, spirit' and 派 'style, manner' together suggest an impressive bearing.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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
水水shuǐwater; river
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂢
𠂢𠂢派pài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

派 is built from 水 (water/river) and 𠂢. 𠂢 gives the sound, and 水 was added later to tell the character apart from the older form.

Open 派 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Appearance

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