成色 (chéng sè) — fineness (of gold/silver), purity percentage; quality, overall condition (of an object); propriety, dignity (of a person, less common)

Definition

Two main senses: the literal purity of gold or silver (e.g. 999 fineness), and the quality or condition of a thing or person (integrity, dignity). At HSK 7, focus is on the abstract 'quality/character' sense rather than metallurgy.

noun
fineness (of gold/silver)purity percentagequalityoverall condition (of an object)proprietydignity (of a person, less common)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 成色。
    Zhè kuài jīn tiáo de chéng sè shì qiān fēn zhī jiǔ bǎi jiǔ shí jiǔ.
    The fineness of this gold bar is 999 per thousand.
  • 成色，。
    Zhè liàng èr shǒu chē de chéng sè bú cuò, bǎo yǎng dé hěn hǎo.
    The condition of this used car is good; it's been well maintained.
  • 成色，。
    Zuò rén yào yǒu chéng sè, bù néng yán ér wú xìn.
    A person must have integrity; you can't go back on your word.

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.

成chéngdegree
色sèquality/color

“成” degree and “色” quality/color combine to mean purity or overall quality.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →

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