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特质 (tè zhì) — characteristic; special quality

Definition

特质 stresses a distinctive inner quality, often of a person or thing. 特点 is the everyday 'feature/characteristic' for any context; 特征 is more formal and often marks a class-defining trait.

noun
characteristicspecial quality
Easily confused

Examples

  • 特质。
    Zhè zhǒng chǎn pǐn de zuì dà tè zhì shì huán bǎo.
    The biggest characteristic of this product is being environmentally friendly.
  • 特质。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de xìng gé tè zhì.
    Everyone has their own personality traits.
  • 特质。
    Yǔ yán shì yí gè wén huà de hé xīn tè zhì zhī yī.
    Language is one of the core characteristics of a culture.

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
质zhìquality

特 means special and 质 means quality, so the word describes a quality that stands out from others.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 質; 质 is its simplified writing.

  • 斦斦yín
  • 貝貝bèi

The traditional form 質 is made up of 貝 and 斦; this describes 質, not the simplified 质.

Open 质 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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