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神奇 (shén qí) — magical, mystical, miraculous

Definition

Describes something that seems magical or beyond ordinary explanation, like a trick or effect. 神奇 describes the thing itself; 奇迹 is the noun 'miracle', and 神秘 is 'mysterious' (hidden/unknown), not amazing.

adjective
magicalmysticalmiraculous

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè zhǒng yào yǒu shén qí de xiào guǒ.
    This medicine has a miraculous effect.
  • 神奇。
    Nà ge gǔ lǎo de chuán shuō chōng mǎn le shén qí sè cǎi.
    That ancient legend is full of magical color.
  • 神奇！
    Zhè ge mó shù tài shén qí le!
    This magic trick is so amazing!

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.

神shéndivine
奇qíextraordinary

The extraordinary quality 奇 of the divine 神 feels magical.

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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
大大dàbig; great
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě奇
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

奇 pairs 大 (big; great) with 可, a sound part.

Open 奇 →
Appears in
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