近视 (jìn shì) — nearsighted, myopic (of eyesight); shortsighted… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Means 'nearsighted' in the literal eye-condition sense (e.g. 我是近视). Figuratively also describes a person or plan as 'shortsighted' — only seeing immediate gains, missing long-term consequences.

adjective

nearsightedmyopic (of eyesight)shortsightedlacking long-term vision (figurative)

Examples

近视，。
Tā cóng xiǎo jiù shì jìn shì, bú dài yǎn jìng shén me dōu kàn bù qīng.
He has been nearsighted since childhood; without glasses he can't see anything clearly.
近视。
Zhī kǎo lǜ yǎn qián lì yì de zuò fǎ tài jìn shì le.
An approach that only considers immediate gains is too shortsighted.
近视？？
Nǐ jìn shì duō shǎo dù? pèi xīn yǎn jìng le ma?
What is your nearsighted prescription? Did you get new glasses?

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.

近 ('near') and 视 ('vision') combine to describe seeing clearly only near.

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.

辶斤近

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

斤

斤jīn近jìn

Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

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 視; 视 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

見見jiànsee

Sound part声符shēngfú

示

示shì視shì

Same sound today

The story is about the traditional form 視: it combines 見, meaning see, with 示, which gives the sound shì.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Illness & Symptoms

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