TongTong
Sign in

隐性 (yǐn xìng) — hidden, covert, unseen (in costs, factors, etc.); (genetics) recessive (as in 隐性基因); (prefix) crypto-, latent

Definition

A formal, written adjective for things that are hidden or not yet visible — costs, factors, genetic traits. Pairs more naturally with abstract nouns than 隐藏 (a verb meaning to hide something).

adjective
hiddencovertunseen (in costs, factors, etc.)(genetics) recessive (as in 隐性基因)
prefix
crypto-latent

Examples

  • 隐性。
    Zuò yù suàn shí yào bǎ yǐn xìng chéng běn dōu suàn jìn qù.
    When making a budget, you need to factor in all hidden costs.
  • 隐性。
    Zhè zhǒng jí bìng yóu yǐn xìng jī yīn yí chuán gěi xià yí dài.
    This disease is passed on to the next generation by a recessive gene.
  • ，隐性。
    Tā biǎo miàn shàng hěn kāi lǎng, qí shí yǒu yǐn xìng de zì bēi xīn lǐ.
    He seems cheerful on the surface, but actually has a hidden sense of inferiority.

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.

隐yǐnhidden
性xìngnature; property

The word describes a 性 (nature) that is 隐 (hidden), as in a latent or recessive trait.

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 隱; 隐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
㥯
㥯㥯隱yǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隱 pairs 阝 (阜) with 㥯 to give the sound; the simplified 隐 is a shorthand, so its right side is not 㥯.

Open 隐 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Biology

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.