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成见 (chéng jiàn) — preconceived idea; prejudice

Definition

A fixed, negative opinion formed in advance about someone or something — stronger and more hostile than 偏见 (a milder personal bias). Often paired with 抱有 / 消除 / 带 着.

noun
preconceived ideaprejudice

Examples

  • 成见，。
    Tā duì zhè ge wèn tí yì zhí yǒu chéng jiàn, bú yuàn yì tīng bié rén de yì jiàn.
    He has always had a preconceived idea about this issue and is unwilling to listen to others' opinions.
  • 成见，。
    Yào xiāo chú rén yǔ rén zhī jiān de chéng jiàn, xū yào duō gōu tōng.
    To eliminate prejudice among people, more communication is needed.
  • 成见。
    Nǐ bú yào dài zhe chéng jiàn qù kàn dài xīn tóng shì.
    Don't approach your new colleague with preconceived ideas.

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chéngalready formed
见jiànview

成 (already formed) qualifies 见 (view) as a fixed idea.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →
Appears in
Attitudes & Opinions

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