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近代 (jìn dài) — (in Chinese history) the modern period, from the mid-19th century to 1919; modern times, the not-very-distant past (excluding recent decades)

Definition

In Chinese history, 近代 is a fixed period from the Opium Wars (1840) to the May Fourth Movement (1919). Modern Chinese speakers say 现代 when they mean 'modern times' in general.

noun
(in Chinese history) the modern period, from the mid-19th century to 1919modern timesthe not-very-distant past (excluding recent decades)

Examples

  • 近代。
    jìn dài Zhōng guó fā shēng le hěn duō biàn huà.
    Modern China underwent many changes.
  • 近代18401919。
    jìn dài Shì cóng 1840 nián dào 1919 nián de shí qī.
    The modern period is the period from 1840 to 1919.
  • 近代。
    jìn dài Jīng jì de fā zhǎn sù dù hěn kuài.
    The economy developed very quickly in modern times.

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.

近jìnrecent
代dàiera

近 ('recent') and 代 ('era') combine to name the not-distant past.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
斤
斤jīn近jìn
Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

Open 近 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5History

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