忘性 (wàng xìng) — forgetfulness, bad memory

Definition

Refers to a person's tendency to forget things — often used with adjectives like 大 or 小 to describe how bad the memory is. Pairs with 记性 ('ability to remember').

noun
forgetfulnessbad memory

Examples

  • 忘性，。
    Tā wàng xìng hěn dà, jīng cháng wàng jì dài yào shi.
    He has a very bad memory; he often forgets to bring his keys.
  • 忘性。
    Rén lǎo le wàng xìng jiù huì yuè lái yuè chà.
    As people get older, their memory gets worse and worse.
  • 忘性，。
    Wǒ wàng xìng bù xiǎo, zhòng yào de shì dōu dé jì zài shǒu jī shàng.
    My memory isn't great; I have to record important things on my phone.

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.

忘wàngforget
性xìngnature

忘 means forget and 性 suggests a settled trait, giving the sense of forgetfulness.

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng忘wàng
Same sound today

忘 combines 亡, which gives the sound, with 心 (“heart”), showing the sense is about the heart or mind.

Open 忘 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

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