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体验 (tǐ yàn) — to experience (for oneself)

Definition

体验 focuses on the firsthand sensory or personal 'experience' of doing something — tasting, trying, feeling. Unlike 经历 (events one goes through) or 体会 (deeper understanding from experience), 体验 is about the direct encounter itself.

verb
to experience (for oneself)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 体验。
    Wǒ xiǎng tǐ yàn yí xià huá xuě de gǎn jué.
    I want to experience what skiing feels like.
  • 体验。
    Zhè jiā jiǔ diàn de fú wù zhí dé tǐ yàn.
    The service at this hotel is worth experiencing.
  • 体验？
    Tā tǐ yàn guò nóng cūn de shēng huó ma?
    Has he experienced life in the countryside?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

体tǐexperience
验yànverify

Both parts convey experiencing and verifying, so the sense is firsthand experience.

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.

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.

Open 体 →

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 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →
Appears in
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