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不规则 (bù guī zé) — irregular (not following a pattern or rule); incorrect (of an action or movement)

Definition

Used for things that don't follow a regular pattern (shapes, verbs, movements) — the standard translation of English 'irregular'. The 'incorrect' sense is secondary, mainly for actions that break a rule.

adjective
irregular (not following a pattern or rule)incorrect (of an action or movement)

Examples

  • 不规则，。
    Zhè kuài shí tou xíng zhuàng bù guī zé, hěn hǎo kàn.
    This stone has an irregular shape; it's very nice-looking.
  • 不规则。
    Yīng yǔ zhōng yǒu hěn duō bù guī zé dòng cí.
    There are many irregular verbs in English.
  • 不规则，。
    Tā de dòng zuò bù guī zé, suǒ yǐ bèi kòu le fēn.
    His movement was incorrect, so he got points deducted.

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.

不bùnot
规则rules
规guīrule则zérule
联合Coordinate

不 (not) plus 规则 (rules) gives the sense of lacking a regular pattern.

Characters in this word

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 規; 规 is its simplified writing.

  • 夫夫fūhusband
  • 見見jiànsee

The simplified 规 is a shorthand; the traditional form 規 shows a cross-shaped compass in its early drawing, and its later form uses 夫 and 見.

Open 规 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 則; 则 is its simplified writing.

  • 鼎鼎dǐngding, a bronze cauldron for cooking or sacrificial rituals
  • 刂刀dāoknife

The traditional form 則 pairs 鼎, a bronze cauldron, with 刂, a knife, possibly showing carving on a bronze vessel; the simplified 则 is a later shorthand.

Open 则 →
Appears in
Order & Arrangement

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