野性 (yě xìng) — wild nature, untamedness (of animals or humans) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A noun for the untamed, instinctive quality in animals or people — a free, unrestrained spirit. Often paired with 有/失去 to describe a 'wild streak' in someone's character.

noun

wild natureuntamedness (of animals or humans)

Examples

野性，。
Zhè zhī lǎo hǔ de yě xìng hěn qiáng, bú shì hé yǎng zài jiā lǐ.
This tiger's wild nature is very strong; it's not suitable to keep at home.
野性。
Xiàn dài shēng huó ràng rén shī qù le yě xìng.
Modern life has caused people to lose their wildness.
野性，。
Tā xìng gé zhōng yǒu yì zhǒng yě xìng, bú yuàn shòu yuē shù.
He has a kind of wildness in his character and doesn't want to be constrained.

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.

野 means wild and 性 means nature, so it denotes wild or untamed nature.

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

田田tiánfield

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

予

予yǔ野yě

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

野 combines 田 (field) above 土 (earth) to show open country, with 予 giving the sound.

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

忄生性

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.

Appears in

Animals & Mammals Personality & Traits

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