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命根子 (mìng gēn zǐ) — (noun) something or someone as precious as life itself; one's most cherished possession

Definition

An emphatic, slangy way to call something 'one's lifeblood' — a person or thing so precious you couldn't bear to lose it. Goes beyond 心肝宝贝 by stressing it's literally the root of your life.

noun
something or someone as precious as life itselfone's most cherished possession

Examples

  • 命根子，。
    Zhè ge hái zi shì tā de mìng gēn zǐ, jué duì bù néng chū shì.
    This child is his most precious treasure; nothing can happen to them.
  • 命根子，。
    Nà fú huà shì tā de mìng gēn zǐ, shuí dōu bù xǔ pèng.
    That painting is his most prized possession; no one is allowed to touch it.
  • ，命根子。
    Zhè xiē lǎo zhào piàn bǐ qián hái zhòng yào, jiǎn zhí jiù shì tā de mìng gēn zǐ.
    These old photos are more important than money; they're practically her most treasured things.

Origin

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.

命根life basis
命mìnglife根gēnbasis
偏正Modifier + head
子zǐ

命根子 combines 命 (life) and 根 (basis) to picture something essential, with 子 making it a familiar word.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn根gēn(r)
Same sound today

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.

Open 根 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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