生就 (shēng jiù) — to be born with (a quality, talent, etc.)

Definition

生就 (shēngjiù) is a literary verb meaning 'to be born with' an innate quality or talent — essentially synonymous with 天生 but slightly more literary and emphatic.

verb
to be born with (a quality, talent, etc.)

Examples

  • 生就。
    Tā shēng jiù yí fù hǎo sǎng zi.
    He was born with a good voice.
  • ，生就。
    Zhè zhǒng néng lì bú shì xué lái de, ér shì shēng jiù de.
    This ability is not learned, but innate.
  • 生就，。
    Tā shēng jiù yì shuāng qiǎo shǒu, zuò shén me dōu xiàng yàng.
    She was born with skillful hands; everything she does looks good.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

生shēngborn/live
就jiùaccomplish/attain

“生” gives the sense of being born, while “就” adds the idea of something being formed or possessed from birth.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

An older form paired 享, a temple, with 京, a tower, showing sacrifice at a high place; in 就 the temple part was dropped and a right part for going upward was added.

Open 就 →

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