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标新立异 (biāo xīn lì yì) — to deliberately be unconventional or different; to make a display of novelty

Definition

A chengyu meaning to deliberately stand out by being different, often with a negative tone — implies showy novelty for its own sake, not genuine innovation.

idiom
to deliberately be unconventional or differentto make a display of novelty

Examples

  • 标新立异，。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan zài huì yì shàng biāo xīn lì yì, dàn tí chū de fāng àn wǎng wǎng bù shí yòng.
    He always likes to be unconventional at meetings, but the plans he proposes are often impractical.
  • 标新立异，。
    Zhè ge shè jì suī rán biāo xīn lì yì, què bù fú hé yòng hù de shí jì xū qiú.
    Although this design is deliberately different, it doesn't meet the actual needs of users.
  • ，标新立异，。
    Tā bú yuàn suí dà liú, fán shì dōu yào biāo xīn lì yì, jié guǒ cháng cháng bèi rén yì lùn.
    He doesn't want to follow the crowd and insists on being unconventional in everything, which often gets him talked about.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào標biāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

Open 标 →

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 →

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

立 pictures a person standing on the ground.

Open 立 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 異; 异 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 異 depicts a person with a mask 田 over the face, so the face looks different. The simplified 异 is a later shorthand.

Open 异 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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