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创新 (chuàng xīn) — to innovate; to create new ideas or methods; innovation

Definition

创新 focuses on innovation — introducing new methods or ideas (especially in tech, business, science), more specific than the broader 创造. 创意 names the creative idea itself; 革新 stresses reform of existing systems.

to innovateto create new ideas or methodsinnovation

Examples

  • 创新。
    Gōng sī xū yào bú duàn chuàng xīn.
    The company needs to keep innovating.
  • 创新。
    chuàng xīn Néng dài lái xīn de jī huì.
    Innovation can bring new opportunities.
  • 创新。
    Wǒ men hěn zhòng shì chuàng xīn.
    We place great importance on innovation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

创chuàngcreate
新xīnnew thing

The 创 part points to creating, and 新 supplies newness, so the word means to create something new.

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 創; 创 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
倉
倉cāng創chuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 創 pairs 倉 with 刀 (knife) to write 'wound', and 倉 gives the pronunciation. The simplified 创 is a later shorthand.

Open 创 →

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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