两性人 (liǎng xìng rén) — intersex person

Definition

The neutral, modern Chinese term for 'intersex person'. 比 old term 雌雄同体更常见于社会与医学语境。

noun

intersex person

Measure word · 个

两性人。
Yǒu xiē rén chū shēng shí jiù shì liǎng xìng rén.
Some people are born as intersex individuals.
两性人。
Yī shēng zhèng zài yán jiū liǎng xìng rén de jiàn kāng wèn tí.
Doctors are researching the health issues of intersex people.
两性人。
Shè huì yīng gāi duì liǎng xìng rén duō yì xiē lǐ jiě hé zūn zhòng.
Society should show more understanding and respect for intersex people.

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.

两性two sexes

偏正Modifier + head

两性 two sexes and 人 person combine for a person with both sexes.

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 兩; 两 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 兩 is described as combining 一 and 㒳. The simplified 两 is a later abbreviation.

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

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.

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.