直性子 (zhí xìng zǐ) — forthright person, straightforward person (as a personality type)

Definition

A person who speaks and acts directly, without beating around the bush — typically seen as a personality type, not a one-time behavior. The adjective 直爽 highlights the trait; 直性子 names the person who has it.

noun
forthright personstraightforward person (as a personality type)

Examples

  • 直性子，。
    Tā shì gè zhí xìng zǐ, shuō huà cóng lái bù guǎi wān.
    He's a straightforward person — he never beats around the bush when speaking.
  • 直性子，。
    zhí xìng zǐ De rén suī rán shuō huà zhí jiē, dàn wǎng wǎng hěn zhēn chéng.
    Forthright people may speak directly, but they're often very sincere.
  • 直性子，。
    Tā shì gè zhí xìng zǐ, yǒu shén me yì jiàn dōu huì dāng miàn shuō chū lái.
    She's a straightforward person — if she has any opinions, she'll say them to your face.

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.

直性straight nature
直zhístraight性xìngnature
偏正Modifier + head
子zǐ

直 (straight) and 性 (nature) form the core; 子 completes the familiar noun for a person.

Characters in this word

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

The earliest form of 直 pairs 目, an eye, with an unclear stroke 丨.

Open 直 →

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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