保密性 (bǎo mì xìng) — secrecy, confidentiality

Definition

noun

secrecyconfidentiality

保密性。
Zhè fèn wén jiàn de bǎo mì xìng fēi cháng zhòng yào.
The confidentiality of this document is very important.
保密性。
Gōng sī yāo qiú yuán gōng bǎo hù shāng yè bǎo mì xìng.
The company requires employees to protect trade secrets.
保密性。
Xìn xī bǎo mì xìng shì wǎng luò ān quán de hé xīn wèn tí.
Information confidentiality is a core issue in network security.

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

保密keep secret

动宾Verb + object

保密 means keep secret; 性 gives the sense of a quality.

Characters in this word

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

保 originally showed a person 人 carrying a child 子 on their back, which led to the sense of protecting.

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

宓山密

Meaning part形符xíngfú

山山shānmountain

Sound part声符shēngfú

宓

宓mì密mì

Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

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.