体态 (tǐ tài) — figure, physique, body shape; posture, bearing,… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

体态 covers both 'figure/body shape' and the 'posture/bearing' carried in it — the overall look of the body. 身材 is height-and-weight build alone; 姿势 is just the position of a moment.

noun

figurephysiquebody shapeposturebearingdeportment

Examples

体态，。
Zhè wèi wǔ zhě de tǐ tài fēi cháng yōu měi, xiàng tiān é yí yàng.
This dancer's posture is very graceful, like a swan.
体态。
Cháng qī zuò bàn gōng shì de rén yào zhù yì bǎo chí zhèng què de tǐ tài.
People who sit in offices long-term need to pay attention to maintaining correct posture.
，体态，。
Tā suī rán gè zi bù gāo, dàn tǐ tài hěn hǎo, kàn shàng qù hěn yǒu qì zhì.
Though she's not tall, she has good figure and posture, so she looks elegant.

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.

态tàiposture

体 “body” and 态 “posture” combine to mean the shape or bearing of the body.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

太心态

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

太

太tài态tài

Same sound today

态 is made of 太, which gives the sound, and 心 (heart).

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Appearance

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