警惕性 (jǐng tì xìng) — vigilance

Definition

A noun formed from 警惕 ('to be alert/wary') plus the nominal suffix -性, meaning the quality or degree of vigilance itself. Refers to watchfulness as an ongoing trait, not a single act.

noun
vigilance

Examples

  • 警惕性。
    Wǒ men yào bǎo chí gāo dù de jǐng tì xìng.
    We must maintain a high degree of vigilance.
  • 警惕性。
    Zhè cì shì jiàn tí xǐng dà jiā yào tí gāo jǐng tì xìng.
    This incident reminds everyone to increase vigilance.
  • ，警惕性。
    Zài ān quán wèn tí shàng, jǐng tì xìng hěn zhòng yào.
    In security matters, vigilance is very important.

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.

警惕vigilant
警jǐngalert惕tìwary
联合Side by side
性xìngnature

警惕 gives the idea of being on guard, and 性 names that quality, yielding vigilance.

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
言言yánspoken language, speech
Sound part声符shēngfú
敬
敬jìng警
Same sound today

警 places 言 (speech) below 敬; 敬 gives the sound.

Open 警 →

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xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
易
易yì惕tì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

惕 is built from 忄, the heart form 心, which points to a mental state, and 易, which supplies the sound.

Open 惕 →

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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