珍奇 (zhēn qí) — (adjective) rare and precious; exotic (used to modify nouns)

Definition

Used to describe objects (shells, minerals, plants) that are both rare and precious. 珍奇 stresses the collector's value on something exotic; 珍贵 is more common for everyday precious things.

adjective
rare and preciousexotic (used to modify nouns)

Examples

  • 珍奇。
    Wǒ zài zhè jiā shāng diàn mǎi le yí gè zhēn qí de bèi ké.
    I bought a rare and precious shell at this shop.
  • 珍奇。
    Tā shōu cáng le xǔ duō zhēn qí de kuàng shí.
    He has collected many rare and precious minerals.
  • 珍奇，。
    Zhè zhǒng huā shí fēn zhēn qí, zhī zài yún nán de shān lǐ cái néng kàn dào.
    This type of flower is very exotic; you can only see it in the mountains of Yunnan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

珍zhēnprecious
奇qístrange

珍 (precious) and 奇 (strange) combine to mean rare and precious.

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
玉玉yù
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐱
㐱㐱珍
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

珍 pairs 玉, a jade or gem, with 㐱, which gives the sound; the 玉 part fits its early meaning of a rich gemstone.

Open 珍 →

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
大大dàbig; great
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě奇
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

奇 pairs 大 (big; great) with 可, a sound part.

Open 奇 →

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