个人崇拜 (gè rén chóng bài) — personality cult; cult of personality

Definition

A 'personality cult' is the exaggerated, uncritical devotion given to a single political leader. The phrase is used in political and historical contexts, often with a negative tone.

noun
personality cultcult of personality

Examples

  • 个人崇拜。
    Lì shǐ shàng yǒu xǔ duō guó jiā dōu chū xiàn guò gè rén chóng bài de shí qī.
    Many countries in history have had periods of personality cult.
  • 个人崇拜。
    Pī píng gè rén chóng bài shì wéi hù mín zhǔ zhì dù de zhòng yào huán jié.
    Criticizing personality cults is an important part of maintaining democratic systems.
  • 个人崇拜。
    Xué zhě men fēn xī le gè rén chóng bài duì shè huì fā zhǎn de yǐng xiǎng.
    Scholars have analyzed the impact of personality cults on social development.

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.

个人individual
个gèindividual人rénperson
偏正Modifier + head
崇拜worship
崇chóngrevere拜bàibow
联合Side by side

The parts 个人 and 崇拜 combine to mean worship of an individual.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 個; 个 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
固
固gù個ge
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 个, the form 個 pairs 亻 (person) with 固 as a sound part.

Open 个 →

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.

Open 人 →

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
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
宗
宗zōng崇
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

崇 is built from 山 (mountain) on top and 宗 below; the mountain shows the idea, while 宗 gives the sound.

Open 崇 →

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

拜 combines 扌 (hand, written fully as 手) with 𠦪 (herbs), showing a hand holding herbs as a gift.

Open 拜 →

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