定势 (dìng shì) — fixed mindset, mental set, cognitive fixedness; entrenched pattern of thinking or behavior

Definition

定势 (dìngshì) is the established mental pattern or habitual way of thinking/acting a person or organization has settled into — often an obstacle to change. Pair it with 打破 ('break') or 改变 ('change').

noun
fixed mindsetmental setcognitive fixednessentrenched pattern of thinking or behavior

Examples

  • 定势。
    Zhè zhǒng sī wéi dìng shì huì xiàn zhì nǐ de chuàng zào lì.
    This kind of fixed mindset will limit your creativity.
  • 定势，。
    Yào dǎ pò jiù dìng shì, cái néng shì yìng xīn de huán jìng.
    You have to break old fixed patterns to adapt to new environments.
  • 定势，。
    Gōng sī xū yào gǎi biàn guǎn lǐ dìng shì, tí gāo xiào lǜ.
    The company needs to change its management fixedness to improve efficiency.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

定dìngfixed
势shìtendency

定 means fixed and 势 means tendency, giving a fixed tendency.

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →

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 勢; 势 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì勢shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 勢 combines 力, meaning power, with 埶 for the sound. The simplified 势 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 势 →

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