xíngtài

形态

HSK 5Word · NounTraditional形態

form; shape; structure

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 8 examples
1.

noun

form; shape; manifestation

formal

A general term referring to the outward appearance, structure, or mode of expression of abstract or concrete things. Often used in formal or academic contexts.

Shè社
huì会
yì意
shí识
xíng形
tài态
shì是
shàng上
céng层
jiàn建
zhù筑
de的
zhòng重
yào要
zǔ组
chéng成
bù部
fèn分
 。

Social ideology is an important component of the superstructure.

Yì艺
shù术
yǒu有
gè各
zhǒng种
gè各
yàng样
de的
biǎo表
xiàn现
xíng形
tài态
 。

Art has various forms of expression.

Show 1 more example
Zhè这
zhǒng种
bìng病
dú毒
de的
xíng形
tài态
zài在
xiǎn显
wēi微
jìng镜
xià下
hěn很
qīng清
chu楚
 。

The form of this virus is very clear under the microscope.

2.

noun

morphology; external shape (of an organism)

technical

Specifically used in biology to describe the physical form and structure of living organisms.

Zhí植
wù物
xué学
jiā家
zhèng正
zài在
yán研
jiū究
zhè这
zhǒng种
jué蕨
lèi类
zhí植
wù物
de的
tè特
shū殊
xíng形
tài态
 。

Botanists are studying the unique morphology of this fern.

Kūn昆
chóng虫
de的
xíng形
tài态
duō多
zhǒng种
duō多
yàng样
 ,
shì适
yìng应
bù不
tóng同
de的
huán环
jìng境
 。

The morphology of insects is diverse, adapting to different environments.

3.

noun

morphological form (linguistics); inflectional form

technical

A technical term in linguistics. Refers to the changes in word form, including derivation (forming new words) and inflection (changing tense, case, number, etc.).

Yīng英
yǔ语
zhōng中
 ,
dòng动
cí词
de的
guò过
qù去
shì式
shì是
yī一
zhǒng种
cí词
xíng形
biàn变
huà化
xíng形
tài态
 。

In English, the past tense of verbs is an inflectional form.

Hàn汉
yǔ语
de的
xíng形
tài态
biàn变
huà化
xiāng相
duì对
jiào较
shǎo少
 。

Chinese has relatively few morphological changes.

Show 1 more example
 '
unhappyu
zhōngn
deh
un-a
shìp
yīp
zhǒngy
 '
gòu中
cí的
 '
xíngu
tàin
 -
 '
 是
 一
 种
 构
 词
 形
 态
 。

The 'un-' in 'unhappy' is a derivational morpheme.