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情节 (qíng jié) — plot, storyline (of a story, film, etc.); circumstances, details (of an event, accident, or case)

Definition

情节 means 'plot' in a story/film — the unfolding events — distinct from 情况 ('situation/circumstances' in real life) and from 阴谋 (a hidden, sinister plot).

noun
plotstoryline (of a story, film, etc.)circumstancesdetails (of an event, accident, or case)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 情节，。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō de qíng jié fēi cháng qū zhé, ràng rén cāi bú dào jié jú.
    The plot of this novel is very twisty, making it impossible to guess the ending.
  • 情节。
    Jǐng fāng zhèng zài diào chá shì gù de qíng jié.
    The police are investigating the circumstances of the accident.
  • 情节，。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de qíng jié suī rán jiǎn dān, dàn biǎo yǎn hěn jīng cǎi.
    Although the plot of this film is simple, the acting is wonderful.

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.

情qíngcircumstance
节jiésection

情 gives the idea of circumstances to 节, so 情节 means plot or storyline.

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
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Literature & Poetry5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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