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形状 (xíng zhuàng) — shape; form

Definition

形状 refers to the physical shape of a concrete thing (an apple, a cup). Compared with 形式 ('form' in the abstract, like a form of government) and 外形 (outer silhouette), 形状 is the everyday word for what something looks like.

noun
shapeform
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 形状。
    Zhè ge xíng zhuàng hěn xiàng yí gè píng guǒ.
    This shape looks a lot like an apple.
  • 形状？
    Nǐ xǐ huan nǎ zhǒng xíng zhuàng de bēi zi?
    What shape of cup do you like?
  • 形状。
    Zhè xiē xíng zhuàng dōu bù yí yàng.
    These shapes are all different.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

形xíngform
状zhuàngstate

It joins 形, the visible form, with 状, its outward state, to mean shape.

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
井
井jǐng形xíng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Open 形 →

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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán狀zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 状 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Shapes

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