特定 (tè dìng) — specific, particular, designated | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

特定 marks a fixed, pre-decided category or set ('specific, designated') — not a description of how something looks. Contrast 具体 (concrete, detailed in content) and 特殊 (unusual, out of the ordinary).

adjective

specificparticulardesignated

Examples

特定。
Zhè ge zhí wèi xū yào tè dìng de jì néng.
This position requires specific skills.
特定。
Tā men zhī zài tè dìng de jié rì cái jù huì.
They only gather on particular holidays.
特定。
Měi gè xué shēng dōu yǒu tè dìng de xué xí fāng fǎ.
Each student has a particular way of studying.

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.

特tèspecial

The word joins 特 “special” and 定 “fixed” to mean something specially fixed, hence specific or designated.

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.

牛寺特

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì特tè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

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

宀宀mián

Sound part声符shēngfú

正

正zhèng定dìng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts

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