油性 (yóu xìng) — oiliness; greasiness (of skin, hair, or substances)

Definition

A noun for an oily or greasy quality — the 'oiliness' of skin, hair, or a substance. Often paired with 皮肤 (oily skin) or 涂料 (oil-based paint) to classify a type. The opposite (dry) is 干性.

noun
oilinessgreasiness (of skin, hair, or substances)

Examples

  • 油性，。
    Tā de pí fū shǔ yú yóu xìng, róng yì zhǎng dòu dou.
    Her skin is oily type, prone to breakouts.
  • 油性，。
    Zhè zhǒng tú liào yóu xìng jiào dà, gān zào hòu biǎo miàn hěn liàng.
    This paint has high oiliness, and the surface is very glossy after drying.
  • 油性。
    Yòng zhè kuǎn xǐ fà shuǐ kě yǐ kòng zhì tóu pí yóu xìng.
    Using this shampoo can control scalp oiliness.

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.

油yóuoil
性xìngproperty

油 means oil and 性 expresses a property, together oiliness.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu油yóu
Same sound today

油 is built from 氵, a water part, and 由, which supplies the sound.

Open 油 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

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