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质感 (zhì gǎn) — texture, tactile quality (of a material, surface, fabric, etc.); realism, tangible quality (in art, photography, film — making something feel lifelike or palpable)

Definition

The tactile feel of a surface (smooth, rough, soft), and by extension, the lifelike, palpable quality of an artwork or image.

noun
texturetactile quality (of a material, surface, fabric, etc.)realismtangible quality (in art, photography, film — making something feel lifelike or palpable)

Examples

  • 质感。
    Zhè kuài sī chóu de zhì gǎn fēi cháng róu ruǎn guāng huá.
    This piece of silk has a very soft and smooth texture.
  • 质感，。
    Zhè fú huà de zhì gǎn hěn qiáng, fǎng fú néng chù mō dào huā bàn.
    This painting has a strong sense of realism, as if you could touch the petals.
  • 质感。
    Shè jì shī xuǎn yòng le cū má bù lái zēng jiā zhěng tǐ de zhì gǎn.
    The designer used burlap to enhance the overall texture.

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.

质zhìmaterial quality
感gǎnfeeling

'质感' joins '质' material quality and '感' feeling, giving texture or tactile quality.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 質; 质 is its simplified writing.

  • 斦斦yín
  • 貝貝bèi

The traditional form 質 is made up of 貝 and 斦; this describes 質, not the simplified 质.

Open 质 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
咸
咸xián感gǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

感 pairs 咸, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, for feeling.

Open 感 →
Appears in
Texture & Quality

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