せい

sex, gender

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Understanding (xìng)

The character is a versatile noun that primarily refers to 'nature,' 'character,' or 'sex/gender.' It is commonly used in compound words to describe personality traits (性格), biological sex (性别), or inherent properties (性质).

Usage in Daily Conversation

When talking about people, often appears in 性格 (personality) or 性别 (gender). For example, 性格 describes someone's temperament or disposition, which is a frequent topic in social interactions. 性别 is used in formal or official contexts when specifying male or female.

Common Collocations

  • 性格 (xìnggé): personality, character
  • 性别 (xìngbié): gender, sex
  • 性质 (xìngzhì): nature, property

These collocations help specify the type of 'nature' or 'character' being discussed.

Important Notes

is a noun and does not function as a verb or adjective by itself. It is often combined with other characters to form meaningful words. Avoid confusing with 性质 when referring to personality, as 性质 usually refers to the nature of objects or abstract qualities rather than human traits.

Summary

Mastering and its common compounds will greatly enhance your ability to discuss personality, gender, and characteristics in Mandarin.

Example Sentences

His personality is very cheerful; everyone likes to be with him.

Please fill in your gender information.

The chemical properties of this material are very stable.