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质朴 (zhì pǔ) — simple, plain, unadorned (of lifestyle, design, language, or character)

Definition

质朴 is plain and unpretentious in character, style, or language — usually a compliment. More literary than 朴素 and more about inner character than 土, which can sound pejorative for 'unsophisticated'.

adjective
simpleplainunadorned (of lifestyle, design, language, or character)

Examples

  • 质朴，。
    Tā chuān zhuó zhì pǔ de yī fu, què xiǎn de hěn yǒu qì zhì.
    She wore simple clothes, yet appeared very elegant.
  • 质朴，。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de zhuāng xiū fēng gé hěn zhì pǔ, ràng rén gǎn dào fàng sōng.
    The decoration style of this restaurant is very plain, making people feel relaxed.
  • 质朴，。
    Tā wèi rén zhì pǔ, cóng bú xuàn yào zì jǐ de chéng jiù.
    He is unpretentious in character and never shows off his achievements.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

质zhìplain
朴pǔunadorned

质 and 朴 both mean plain or unadorned, together describing a simple, unaffected 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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
卜
卜bǔ朴Piáo
Same sound today

朴 pairs 木, a tree or wood, with 卜, which gives the sound.

Open 朴 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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