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淳朴 (chún pǔ) — simple and honest, unsophisticated (of a person, lifestyle, or local customs)

Definition

淳朴 describes people, character, or rural customs that are honest and unpretentious in a genuinely simple way. Among similar words, 纯朴 is a direct synonym; 朴实 and 质朴 emphasize plainness over honesty, while 土 can sound derogatory.

adjective
simple and honestunsophisticated (of a person, lifestyle, or local customs)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 淳朴，。
    Zhè wèi lǎo rén xìng gé chún pǔ, cóng bú jì jiào dé shī.
    This old man has a simple and honest nature; he never fusses over gains and losses.
  • 淳朴，。
    Nà ge xiǎo shān cūn mín fēng chún pǔ, yóu kè dōu hěn xǐ huan.
    That small mountain village has simple and honest folk customs, and tourists all like it.
  • 淳朴。
    Tā huái niàn tóng nián shí nà zhǒng chún pǔ de shēng huó.
    He misses that simple and honest life of his childhood.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

淳chúnpure
朴pǔplain

Purity and plainness together describe simple honesty.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦎧
𦎧𦎧淳chún
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

淳 pairs 水, a water-related part, with 𦎧, which gives the sound.

Open 淳 →

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mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
卜
卜bǔ朴Piáo
Same sound today

朴 pairs 木, a tree or wood, with 卜, which gives the sound.

Open 朴 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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