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性 (xìng) — (suffix) forms abstract nouns from adjectives or verbs, indicating a quality, property, or state

Definition

A suffix meaning '-ness / -ity' that turns an adjective or verb into an abstract noun for a quality (e.g. 安全性 = 'safety'). On its own 性 means 'nature' or 'sex'; here it's the combining form, not the standalone noun.

suffix
forms abstract nouns from adjectives or verbs, indicating a quality, property, or state
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè ge wèn tí de zhǔn què xìng hěn zhòng yào.
    The accuracy of this problem is very important.
  • 。
    Shǒu jī de ān quán xìng yuè lái yuè hǎo le.
    The security of smartphones is getting better and better.
  • 性。
    Zhè zhǒng cái liào de shí yòng xìng hěn gāo.
    This kind of material has very high practicality.

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
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.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 41000 Most Frequent Chinese Words2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.