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性感 (xìng gǎn) — sexy

Definition

An adjective describing a person or thing that attracts sexual interest ('sexy'). Distinct from 火辣辣, which is a more colloquial, hot-blooded 'fiery' — 性感 is neutral and works for looks, voice, or style.

adjective
sexy

Examples

  • 性感。
    Tā de shēng yīn hěn xìng gǎn.
    His voice is very sexy.
  • 性感。
    Zhè tiáo qún zi shè jì dé hěn xìng gǎn.
    This dress is designed very sexy.
  • 性感。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de xìng gǎn jìng tóu tài duō le.
    This movie has too many sexy scenes.

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.

性xìngsex
感gǎnsense

性 gives the sense of sex, and 感 gives a feeling, together suggesting sex appeal.

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
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 →

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
咸
咸xián感gǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

感 pairs 咸, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, for feeling.

Open 感 →
Appears in
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