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态 (tài) — state; condition; attitude; demeanor; form; appearance; shape

Definition

A bound form meaning 'state, form, or attitude' that must pair with another character (状态, 态度, 形态) — it does not stand alone. Choose 状态 for 'state/condition', 态度 for 'attitude/demeanor', 形态 for 'form/shape'.

bound form
stateconditionattitudedemeanorformappearanceshape

Examples

  • 。
    Tā xiàn zài de zhuàng tài hěn hǎo.
    He is in a very good state right now.
  • 。
    Tā duì zhè jiàn shì de tài dù hěn rèn zhēn.
    Her attitude toward this matter is very serious.
  • 。
    Zhè zhǒng xīn de xíng tài hěn shòu huān yíng.
    This new form is very popular.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
太
太tài态tài
Same sound today

态 is made of 太, which gives the sound, and 心 (heart).

Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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