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花样 (huā yàng) — pattern, design (as on fabric or in decoration); trick, ruse (in 耍花样); (as a modifier) fancy, varied (in sports or performances)

Definition

花样 covers both literal decorative patterns (e.g. on fabric) and figurative 'tricks/tricksy moves' as in 耍花样 — the 'varied/fancy' sense pairs with 多样 and 五花八门, but those describe variety, not tricks.

noun
patterndesign (as on fabric or in decoration)trickruse (in 耍花样)(as a modifier) fancyvaried (in sports or performances)

Examples

  • 花样。
    Zhè kuài bù shàng de huā yàng hěn tè bié.
    The pattern on this piece of cloth is very special.
  • 花样，。
    Bié shuǎ huā yàng, kuài gào sù wǒ shí huà.
    Don't play tricks, tell me the truth quickly.
  • 花样。
    huā yàng Huá bīng shì tā zuì xǐ huan de yùn dòng zhī yī.
    Figure skating is one of her favorite sports.

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.

花huādecorative
样yàngstyle

The 'decorative' sense of 花 and the 'style' sense of 样 combine to mean a pattern or fancy trick.

Characters in this word

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樣; 样 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
羕
羕yàng樣yàng
Same sound today

For 样, the traditional form 樣 pairs 木 (wood) with 羕 as a sound part.

Open 样 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Photography & Design5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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