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单纯 (dān chún) — simple, pure, unsophisticated; (used adverbially) merely, purely

Definition

单纯 describes a person as naive or simple in character (not complicated by ulterior motives). 简单 refers to things being easy or uncomplicated; 朴素 describes a plain, unadorned style.

adjective
simplepureunsophisticated(used adverbially) merelypurely

Examples

  • 单纯。
    Wǒ xǐ huan tā dān chún de xìng gé.
    I like her simple personality.
  • 单纯，。
    Wǒ dān chún shì kāi gè wán xiào, nǐ bié shēng qì.
    I was merely joking, don't be angry.
  • 单纯，。
    Zhè ge dào lǐ hěn dān chún, yì jiǎng jiù dǒng.
    This principle is very simple, easy to understand once explained.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

单dānsimple/single
纯chúnpure

单 means simple or single, and 纯 means pure; together they describe something clean, simple, or not mixed.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

Open 单 →

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 純; 纯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
屯
屯tún純chún
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 純 pairs 糸 (thread) with 屯 as a sound part; the simplified 纯 is not the form described.

Open 纯 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Personality & Traits

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