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选择性 (xuǎn zé xìng) — selectivity; selectiveness

Definition

noun
selectivityselectiveness

Examples

  • 选择性，。
    Zhè ge chǎn pǐn de xuǎn zé xìng hěn qiáng, zhī shì hé tè dìng rén qún.
    This product has strong selectivity; it's only suitable for a specific group of people.
  • ，选择性。
    Zài xuǎn zé fāng fǎ shí, xuǎn zé xìng hěn zhòng yào.
    When choosing a method, selectivity is very important.
  • 选择性，。
    Tā de jì yì yǒu xuǎn zé xìng, zhī jì de kāi xīn de shì.
    His memory is selective; he only remembers happy things.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

选择choose
选xuǎnchoose择zéchoose
联合Coordinate
性xìngquality

选择 means choosing, and 性 marks the quality of choosing.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 選; 选 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
巽
巽xùn選xuǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 選 combines 止 with 巽, which gives the sound xùn; its sense of choosing is explained as rejecting or sending someone back. Simplified 选 is a shorthand.

Open 选 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 擇; 择 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
睪
睪yì擇zé
Same sound today

The traditional form 擇 has 手 (hand) for the meaning and 睪 for the sound; the simplified 择 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not historical.

Open 择 →

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 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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