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索性 (suǒ xìng) — might as well; simply; just

Definition

索性 means 'simply / might as well,' often after deciding to drop hesitation and just do (or stop doing) something. Stronger and more decisive than 不妨 ('no harm in trying').

adverb
might as wellsimplyjust

Examples

  • ，索性。
    Jì rán nǐ bù xiǎng qù, suǒ xìng bié qù le.
    Since you don't want to go, you might as well not go.
  • ，索性。
    Wǒ zhǎo le hǎo jiǔ méi zhǎo dào, suǒ xìng bù zhǎo le.
    I looked for a long time and didn't find it, so I simply gave up looking.
  • ，索性。
    Tā yǐ jīng lái le, suǒ xìng ràng tā jìn lái ba.
    He's already here, so we might as well let him in.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

索suǒutterly
性xìngnature

索 conveys utterly and 性 means nature, so the sense is acting straight from one's nature.

Characters in this word

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

  • 糸糸mìthread
  • 𣎳𣎳𣎳strip fibres off a hemp stalk

索 combines 糸 (thread) and 𣎳 (stripping fibres from a hemp stalk), showing threads or rope being pulled out from a fabric.

Open 索 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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