英姿 (yīng zī) — heroic bearing; dashing appearance

Definition

Literary noun for a soldier's or athlete's heroic, dashing bearing — used in writing and news, not everyday speech. Often pairs with 飒爽 (yīng zī sà shuǎng) as a set phrase.

noun
heroic bearingdashing appearance

Examples

  • 英姿。
    Tā zài yuè bīng shì shàng zhǎn xiàn le jūn rén de yīng zī.
    He displayed the heroic bearing of a soldier on the parade ground.
  • 英姿。
    Zhè wèi nǚ jiàng jūn de yīng zī lìng rén jìng pèi.
    This female general's dashing appearance is admirable.
  • 英姿飒。
    Yùn dòng yuán men yǐ yīng zī sà shuǎng de zī tài rù chǎng.
    The athletes entered with a valiant and heroic bearing.

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.

英yīngheroic
姿zībearing

The sense of 英 as heroic or outstanding and 姿 as bearing gives a dashing appearance.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
央
央yāng英yīng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

英 pairs 艹 (grass) with 央, which gives the sound.

Open 英 →

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
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
次
次cì姿zī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

姿 pairs 女, meaning woman, with 次, which gives the sound.

Open 姿 →

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