Meaning
This is the grammatical term for 'adjective' in Chinese. It refers to words that describe or modify nouns by expressing qualities, characteristics, or states. The word literally breaks down as 'form-describe-word,' which captures the function of adjectives in depicting the appearance or nature of things.
Usage
This term is used in formal language instruction, grammar discussions, and educational contexts. Students learning Chinese grammar will encounter this term when studying word categories. In everyday conversation, people rarely use this technical term unless discussing language or teaching.
Examples
- 01"美丽"是一个形容词。"" ."Beautiful" is an adjective.
- 02这个句子里有三个形容词。.There are three adjectives in this sentence.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个形容词
Common collocations
- 形容词作定语adjective used as attributive
- 形容词作谓语adjective used as predicate
Origin
The term combines 形容 (xíngróng, 'to describe/depict') with 词 (cí, 'word'). 形容 itself means 'to describe the form or appearance of something,' making 形容词 literally 'descriptive word,' which perfectly captures what an adjective does.