新装 (xīn zhuāng) — new clothes; new outfit; new look (for a place or thing); newly installed (equipment, system)

Definition

Literally 'new dress/install' — the concrete side means a new outfit (穿新装), the figurative side means a new look or newly installed equipment (全新新装). Both senses share the idea of something put on or applied in a fresh form.

noun
new clothesnew outfitnew look (for a place or thing)newly installed (equipment, system)
Measure word · 身

Examples

  • 新装。
    Tā chuān zhuó piào liang de xīn zhuāng chū xí le wǎn huì.
    She attended the party wearing beautiful new clothes.
  • 新装。
    Gōng sī jīn nián cǎi yòng le quán xīn de xīn zhuāng.
    The company adopted a completely new look this year.
  • 新装。
    Diàn lǐ de xīn zhuāng xī yǐn le hěn duō gù kè.
    The new installation in the store attracted many customers.

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.

新xīnnew
装zhuāngoutfit

“新” means new and “装” means outfit or clothing, so the word denotes a new outfit or new look.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裝; 装 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
壯
壯zhuàng裝zhuāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 裝 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 壯 as a sound part; this story is about 裝, not the simplified 装.

Open 装 →

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