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新陈代谢 (xīn chén dài xiè) — metabolism (biology); (idiom) the new replaces the old; renewal

Definition

Literally 'new, old, replace, decline' — a chengyu used both as a biology term ('metabolism') and as an idiom meaning 'the new replaces the old, things are constantly renewed'.

phrase
metabolism (biology)
idiom
the new replaces the oldrenewal

Examples

  • 新陈代谢。
    Yùn dòng kě yǐ jiā kuài xīn chén dài xiè.
    Exercise can speed up metabolism.
  • 新陈代谢，。
    Gōng sī de xīn chén dài xiè ràng lǎo yuán gōng lí kāi, xīn yuán gōng jiā rù.
    The company's renewal caused old employees to leave and new ones to join.
  • 新陈代谢，。
    xīn chén dài xiè Shì zì rán guī lǜ, wǒ men dōu yào xué huì jiē shòu biàn huà.
    The replacement of the old by the new is a natural law; we all need to learn to accept change.

Origin

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 陳; 陈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng陳chén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 陳 pairs 阜 (mound) with 東 as a sound component.

Open 陈 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →

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 謝; 谢 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword; speech
Sound part声符shēngfú
射
射shè謝xiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 謝 pairs 言 (word; speech) with 射, which gives the sound. The simplified 谢 is a written form of this character.

Open 谢 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6BiologyIdioms & Set Phrases

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