特性 (tè xìng) — characteristic, property | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

特性 is a property or characteristic, often of a material or object. More technical than 特点 ('feature, trait' for people or things) and closer to 属性 ('attribute') than 特色 ('distinctive feature').

noun

characteristicproperty

Examples

特性。
Zhè zhǒng cái liào de tè xìng shì nài gāo wēn.
The characteristic of this material is high temperature resistance.
特性。
Měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ dú tè de tè xìng.
Everyone has their own unique characteristics.
特性。
Zhè kuǎn shǒu jī de tè xìng shì dài jī shí jiān cháng.
The characteristic of this phone is long standby time.

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.

特tèspecial

性xìngnature or property

特 (special) and 性 (nature or property) combine to mean a distinctive property.

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.

牛寺特

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì特tè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

忄生性

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

生

生shēng性xìng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts

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