秉性 (bǐng xìng) — innate character, natural disposition; (one's) true nature

Definition

A formal/literary word for one's innate, deep-rooted character — the kind of thing seen as fixed from birth. Often paired with 难移 (hard to change), as in 秉性难移.

noun
innate characternatural disposition(one's) true nature

Examples

  • 秉性，。
    Tā zhè ge rén bǐng xìng shàn liáng, cóng bú huì shāng hài bié rén.
    He is kind by nature and would never hurt anyone.
  • ，秉性。
    Jiāng shān yì gǎi, bǐng xìng nán yí.
    A river's course can be changed, but one's innate nature is hard to change.
  • 秉性，。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de bǐng xìng, bú bì qiǎng qiú gǎi biàn.
    Everyone has their own innate nature; there's no need to force change.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

秉bǐnghold
性xìngnature

秉 means hold and 性 means nature, giving the nature one holds.

Characters in this word

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

秉 combines 禾 (plant) and 又 (hand), showing a hand holding a plant by the stalk.

Open 秉 →

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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