Meaning of 性格
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- nature
- disposition
- temperament
- character
Measure word: 個|个
How to use 性格
性格 describes a person's general character or temperament, and it often follows words like 好 or comes before adjectives with 很. Example: 她的性格很开朗。(Tā de xìnggé hěn kāilǎng.) She has a very cheerful personality.
性 (xìng) means nature, and it has the heart radical 忄 beside 生 (shēng, to be born), so think of the heart you are born with. 格 (gé) means a pattern or frame, so 性格 is the pattern of your inner nature.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 性格 and 个性 (gèxìng). 性格 is your overall temperament, while 个性 stresses what makes you unique or distinctive, so 他很有个性 means he has a strong individual style, not just a nice character.
性格 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
性 xìng · nature · 8 strokes
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格 gé · square · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 性格.
| 资格 | zīgé | qualifications; seniority |
| 价格 | jiàgé | price |
| 个性 | gèxìng | individuality; personality |
| 性别 | xìngbié | sex; gender |
| 表格 | biǎogé | form; table |
| 合格 | hégé | to meet the standard required; qualified |
| 积极性 | jījíxìng | zeal; initiative |
| 风格 | fēnggé | style |
| 严格 | yángé | strict; stringent; tight; rigorous |
| 性质 | xìngzhì | nature; characteristic |
| 格外 | géwài | especially; particularly; even more than usual; extra; additional |
| 及格 | jígé | to pass an exam or a test; to meet a minimum standard |
Questions about 性格
What does 性格 mean?
性格 (xìnggé) means "nature; disposition" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 性格?
性格 is made of 2 characters: 性 (8 strokes), 格 (10 strokes). That is 18 strokes in total.
Is 性格 an HSK word?
Yes. 性格 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do I ask what someone's personality is like in Chinese?
You can say 你的性格怎么样？(Nǐ de xìnggé zěnmeyàng?) What is your personality like? People also say 他是什么性格的人？(Tā shì shénme xìnggé de rén?) What kind of personality does he have?
Can 性格 be used for animals or things?
Yes, it can describe animals, such as 这只狗性格很温和 (zhè zhī gǒu xìnggé hěn wēnhé), this dog has a gentle temperament. It is mostly used for people and animals, not objects.