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男性化 (nán xìng huā) — mannishness (in a woman's behavior or appearance); virilization (biological masculinization)

Definition

Refers to masculine traits, appearance, or characteristics — either in women (mannishness) or biological masculinization. Carries a medical/scientific register, not casual everyday use.

noun
mannishness (in a woman's behavior or appearance)virilization (biological masculinization)

Examples

  • 男性化，。
    Tā de dǎ bàn yǒu xiē nán xìng huā, xiǎn de hěn gàn liàn.
    Her outfit is a bit masculine, making her look very capable.
  • 男性化。
    Zhè zhǒng jī sù huì dǎo zhì nǚ xìng shēn tǐ de nán xìng huā.
    This hormone can cause virilization in a woman's body.
  • 男性化。
    Shè huì duì nǚ xìng nán xìng huā de píng jià wǎng wǎng bù gōng píng.
    Society's judgment of masculine traits in women is often unfair.

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.

男性male sex
男nánmale性xìngsex
偏正Modifier + head
化huàbecome

男性 (male sex) plus 化 (become) describes becoming or behaving like a male.

Characters in this word

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

男 is made from 田, a field, and 力, strength. It shows a man working with strength in a field.

Open 男 →

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 →

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →
Appears in
Biology

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