性

xìng

忄 + 生

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

xìng (noun) nature; character; quality; property

xìng (noun) gender; sex

xìng (noun) temperament; disposition

xìng (particle) suffix forming adjective or noun (-ness; -ity)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound.

Semantic: 忄 Phonetic: 生

About

The character 性 is a phonosemantic compound: 忄, the heart radical on the left, signifies inner emotions or mind, while 生 (shēng) on the right provides the pronunciation. It denotes the innate qualities, disposition, and fundamental character present from birth, the intrinsic biological and psychological traits that define a person or substance. The meaning also encompasses the natural properties of materials, the essential characteristics that categorize concepts and entities, and, in modern scientific and social terminology, it is the primary term for biological sex, gender differentiation, and reproductive functions.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她的性格很温柔。

Tā de xìnggé hěn wēnróu.

Her personality is very gentle.

这种药的性质很稳定。

Zhè zhǒng yào de xìngzhì hěn wěndìng.

The nature of this medicine is very stable.

请填写你的性别。

Qǐng tiánxiě nǐ de xìngbié.

Please fill in your gender.

这台电脑的性能不错。

Zhè tái diànnǎo de xìngnéng bùcuò.

This computer's performance is not bad.

这个计划有弹性时间。

Zhège jìhuà yǒu tánxìng shíjiān.

This plan has flexible time.

在决策时需要保持理性。

Zài juécè shí xūyào bǎochí lǐxìng.

When making decisions, one needs to maintain rationality.

她是一个感性的人，容易流泪。

Tā shì yīgè gǎnxìng de rén, róngyì liú lèi.

She is a sentimental person, easy to cry.

考虑到各种可能性，我们做了多手准备。

Kǎolǜ dào gè zhǒng kěnéngxìng, wǒmen zuòle duō shǒu zhǔnbèi.

Considering various possibilities, we made multiple preparations.

Related Characters

Component: 忄

Component: 生

性