性 xìng nature
nature; -ness; gender
How to remember 性: 忄 heart + 生 life = nature. The nurse has had a soft heart all her life, and helping strangers at midnight is simply her nature.
Component breakdown
性 = 忄 heart + 生 life
- 忄 heart
- 生 life
- ㇒ falling stroke
- 龶 plant
The nurse has had a soft heart all her life, and helping strangers at midnight is simply her nature.
How it is used
- Nature/gender, and a productive suffix making abstract nouns/adjectives. 性格 (xìnggé) personality, 性别 (xìngbié) gender.
- As a suffix = "-ness / -ability": 可能性 (kěnéngxìng) possibility, 重要性 (zhòngyàoxìng) importance, 弹性 (tánxìng) flexibility.
- 一次性 (yícìxìng) = single-use/disposable: 一次性筷子 (yícìxìng kuàizi) disposable chopsticks.
Words with 性
- 性格xìnggénatureHSK 4
- 性别xìngbiégenderHSK 4
- 女性nǚxìngwomanHSK 4
- 男性nánxìngthe male sexHSK 4
- 一次性yícìxìngone-off (offer)HSK 5
- 个性gèxìngindividualityHSK 5
- 性质xìngzhìnatureHSK 5
- 弹性tánxìngflexibilityHSK 6
- 性价比xìngjiàbǐcost-performance ratioHSK 6
- 性能xìngnéngfunctionHSK 6
- 特性tèxìngpropertyHSK 6
- 理性lǐxìngreasonHSK 6
- 中性zhōngxìngneutralHSK 7
- 人性rénxìnghuman natureHSK 7
- 任性rènxìngwillfulHSK 7
- 共性gòngxìngoverall characterHSK 7
- 天性tiānxìngnatureHSK 7
- 急性jíxìngacuteHSK 7
- 性命xìngmìnglifeHSK 7
- 性情xìngqíngnatureHSK 7
- 性感xìnggǎnsex appealHSK 7
- 惯性guànxìnginertiaHSK 7
- 感性gǎnxìngperceptionHSK 7
- 慢性mànxìngslow and patientHSK 7
- 本性běnxìngnatural instinctsHSK 7
- 记性jìxingmemory (ability to retain information)HSK 7
- 阳性yángxìngpositiveHSK 7
- 阴性yīnxìngnegativeHSK 7
- 属性shǔxìngattributeHSK 8
- 异性yìxìngthe opposite sexHSK 8
- 恶性èxìngmalignantHSK 8
- 显性xiǎnxìngvisibleHSK 9
- 索性suǒxìngyou might as well (do it)HSK 9
- 良性liángxìngpositive (in its effect)HSK 9
- 隐性yǐnxìnghiddenHSK 9
- 雄性xióngxìngmaleHSK 9
- 雌性cíxìngfemaleHSK 9
- 韧性rènxìngtoughnessHSK 9
Example sentences
- 这只小猫的性别是什么？ Zhè zhī xiǎomāo de xìngbié shì shénme?What's the kitten's gender?
- 喜欢玩游戏是孩子的天性。 Xǐhuan wánr yóuxì shì háizi de tiānxìng.A fondness for playing games is in the nature of children.
- 动物都有保护子女的天性。 Dòngwù dōu yǒu bǎohù zǐnǚ de tiānxìng.It's in animals' nature to protect their young.
- 他的性格很叛逆。 Tā de xìnggé hěn pànnì.He's very rebellious.