特殊性 (tè shū xìng) — particularity, peculiarity, distinctiveness

Definition

A formal noun for the 'special, distinctive quality' of something — the way it differs from others. Pairs naturally with 在于 ('lies in') to point out what makes a case unique.

noun
particularitypeculiaritydistinctiveness

Examples

  • 特殊性。
    Zhè ge wèn tí de tè shū xìng zài yú tā shè jí duō gè fāng miàn.
    The particularity of this problem lies in the fact that it involves multiple aspects.
  • 特殊性。
    Měi gè guó jiā dōu yǒu qí wén huà shàng de tè shū xìng.
    Every country has its own cultural distinctiveness.
  • 特殊性。
    Yán jiū zhè ge àn lì de tè shū xìng yǒu zhù yú wǒ men lǐ jiě zhěng tǐ.
    Studying the particularity of this case helps us understand the whole.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

特殊special
特tèspecial殊shūdifferent
联合Side by side
性xìngnature

特 and 殊 both mean special or different, and 性 adds the sense of a quality.

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
牛牛niúox
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.

Open 特 →

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
歺Written in full as歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
朱
朱zhū殊shū
Same sound today

The left part of 殊 is 歹, the meaning part; the right part is 朱, the sound part.

Open 殊 →

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
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.

Open 性 →

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