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特有 (tè yǒu) — distinctive, unique, characteristic of

Definition

特有 means 'unique to' or 'characteristic of' something — it emphasizes belonging to one specific place or group (e.g. a plant 特有一 region), more so than 独特 which just means generally 'distinctive.'

adjective
distinctiveuniquecharacteristic of
Easily confused

Examples

  • 特有。
    Zhè zhǒng zhí wù shì zhè ge dì fāng tè yǒu de.
    This plant is unique to this place.
  • 特有。
    Tā shuō huà de fāng shì hěn tè yǒu.
    His way of speaking is very distinctive.
  • 特有。
    Zhè tào yī fu de shè jì hěn tè yǒu.
    The design of this outfit is very distinctive.

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
有yǒuhave

特 and 有 combine: something specially possessed becomes characteristic.

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
牛牛niúox
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.

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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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

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Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Abstract Concepts

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