相似性 (xiāng sì xìng) — similarity, likeness

Definition

noun
similaritylikeness

Examples

  • 相似性。
    Zhè liǎng zhǒng wén huà zhī jiān yǒu hěn duō xiāng sì xìng.
    There are many similarities between these two cultures.
  • ，相似性。
    Zài jǐ hé xué zhōng, xiāng sì xìng shì yán jiū tú xíng de zhòng yào gài niàn.
    In geometry, similarity is an important concept for studying figures.
  • 相似性。
    Yǔ yán xué jiā fā xiàn zhè liǎng zhǒng fāng yán de xiāng sì xìng hěn gāo.
    Linguists found a high degree of similarity between these two dialects.

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.

相似alike
相xiāngmutual似sìresemble
偏正Modifier + head
性xìngquality

相似 means alike, and 性 gives the quality of being alike.

Characters in this word

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénhuman
Sound part声符shēngfú
以
以yǐ似sì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

似 pairs 亻 (human) with 以, which gives the sound.

Open 似 →

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 →

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