新奇 (xīn qí) — novel, new, exotic | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

新奇 describes an experience or thing that feels strikingly novel or unusual. 比新鲜 stronger and more exotic; 比新颖 more about the impression, less about design originality.

adjective

novelnewexotic

Examples

新奇，。
Zhè ge yóu xì de shè jì hěn xīn qí, wǒ cóng lái méi wán guò.
The design of this game is very novel; I've never played anything like it.
新奇。
Yóu kè duì dāng dì de xīn qí měi shí gǎn dào xīng fèn.
Tourists are excited about the local exotic cuisine.
新奇。
Tā xǐ huan cháng shì xīn qí de diàn zǐ chǎn pǐn.
He likes to try novel electronic products.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

新xīnnew

奇qístrange

新 and 奇 combine to mean fresh and unusual, hence novel.

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.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

斤斤jīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

辛

辛xīn新xīn

Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

大可奇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

大大dàbig; great

Sound part声符shēngfú

可

可kě奇

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

奇 pairs 大 (big; great) with 可, a sound part.

Open 奇 →

Appears in