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格调 (gé diào) — (noun) style, taste (of artwork, literature, design); (noun) quality of character; moral caliber

Definition

格调 is a literary noun for the overall 'style' or 'taste' of a work, design, or place — and by extension a person's moral caliber. It pairs naturally with 高 (高雅) to praise refinement.

noun
styletaste (of artwork, literature, design)quality of charactermoral caliber

Examples

  • 格调，。
    Zhè fú huà gé diào gāo yǎ, hěn yǒu yì shù jià zhí.
    This painting has an elegant style and great artistic value.
  • 格调，。
    Tā gé diào hěn gāo, cóng bù shuō cū huà.
    He has high moral character and never says vulgar words.
  • 格调。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de gé diào hěn yǒu tè sè.
    This restaurant's style/atmosphere is very distinctive.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

格géstyle
调tiáotone

格 “style” and 调 “tone” combine to mean overall taste or character.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè格gé
Same sound today

格 is built from 木 (wood) on the left and 各 on the right, which gives the sound.

Open 格 →

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →
Appears in
Art & Fine ArtsPersonality & Traits

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