才情 (cái qíng) — literary and artistic talent; creative flair; imaginative power

Definition

才情 refers to a person's natural creative and artistic talent, especially as shown in writing or art. Unlike plain 才华, it emphasizes feeling and imagination, not just ability.

noun
literary and artistic talentcreative flairimaginative power

Examples

  • 才情，。
    Zhè wèi shī rén yǐ cái qíng zhù chēng, zuò pǐn chōng mǎn líng qì.
    This poet is renowned for his literary talent; his works are full of spiritual vitality.
  • 才情。
    Tā de cái qíng zài huà zuò zhōng biǎo xiàn dé lín lí jìn zhì.
    Her artistic talent is expressed vividly and thoroughly in her paintings.
  • 才情，。
    Gǔ dài wén rén cháng yǐ cái qíng xiāng xī, bǐ cǐ chàng hè.
    Ancient literati often cherished each other's creative talent and exchanged poems.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

才cáitalent
情qíngfeeling

才 (talent) and 情 (feeling) give literary or artistic talent.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

才 originally drew a sharp peg, not a sprout growing from the ground.

Open 才 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.