非传统 (fēi chuán tǒng) — non-traditional, unconventional

Definition

adjective
non-traditionalunconventional

Examples

  • 非传统。
    Zhè zhǒng fēi chuán tǒng de shè jì xī yǐn le hěn duō rén.
    This non-traditional design attracted many people.
  • 非传统。
    Tā xuǎn zé le yì tiáo fēi chuán tǒng de zhí yè dào lù.
    He chose an unconventional career path.
  • 非传统。
    fēi chuán tǒng De liáo fǎ yǒu shí huì yǒu yì xiǎng bú dào de xiào guǒ.
    Non-traditional therapies sometimes have unexpected effects.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

非fēinot
传统tradition
传chuánpass down统tǒngsystem
偏正Modifier + head

非 means not, and 传统 refers to passed-down customs, together giving an unconventional sense.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.

Open 非 →

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 傳; 传 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān傳chuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傳 puts 人 (man) beside 專, which gives the sound; the simplified 传 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 传 →

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 統; 统 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
充
充chōng統tǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 統 uses 糸 as a meaning part and 充 as a sound part; the simplified 统 is a later shorthand, so this story is about 統, not about 统's parts.

Open 统 →

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