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优异 (yōu yì) — outstanding, excellent, exceptional

Definition

优异 (yōu yì) is a written, formal 'outstanding / exceptional,' typically used for performance or grades. Stronger than 优秀 and 出色, and more formal than 优良.

adjective
outstandingexcellentexceptional

Examples

  • 优异。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de chǎn pǐn zhì liàng fēi cháng yōu yì.
    The product quality of this company is outstanding.
  • 优异，。
    Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng biǎo xiàn yōu yì, huò dé le dì yī míng.
    He performed outstandingly in the competition and won first place.
  • 优异。
    Tā yǐ yōu yì de chéng jì huò dé le jiǎng xué jīn.
    She obtained a scholarship with outstanding grades.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

优yōuexcellent
异yìoutstanding

优 means excellent and 异 means outstanding; together they stress exceptional quality.

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 優; 优 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
憂
憂yōu優yōu
Same sound today

The traditional form 優 combines 亻 (人, person) with 憂 for the sound; the simplified 优 is a later abbreviation.

Open 优 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 異; 异 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 異 depicts a person with a mask 田 over the face, so the face looks different. The simplified 异 is a later shorthand.

Open 异 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Good & Bad

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