性情

• Pinyin: xìng qíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 性 = 忄 + 生 (nature/character); 情 = 忄 + 青 (emotion/feeling)

Meaning

Temperament; disposition; inherent character. Describes the natural emotional inclinations of a person.

More literary than 性格. 性情 emphasises emotional tendencies and affective qualities (gentle, fierce, volatile) rather than broad personality traits. Common in biographical writing and classical literature.

Examples

1. 她性情温和，从不与人争吵，在同事中素有口碑，深受众人尊重。 She has a gentle temperament and never argues with others; she has a great reputation among her colleagues and is widely respected.
2. 这位作家性情豪放，作品中充满了对自由与理想的热烈追求与深沉思考。 The writer has a bold, uninhibited temperament, and his works are filled with passionate pursuit of freedom and ideals, along with deep reflection.
3. 老人性情孤僻，喜欢独处，却在书画创作中找到了宁静的精神寄托。 The elderly man has a withdrawn temperament and likes being alone, but he found a peaceful spiritual refuge in calligraphy and painting.

Usage Guide

Context: character description, literature, biography

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他性情耿直，说话直来直去，偶尔令人不适，但出发点始终是善意的。(He has an upright temperament and speaks frankly; while this occasionally makes others uncomfortable, his intentions are always good.)
• 两人性情相投，初次见面便相谈甚欢，很快成为无话不说的知己。(The two had compatible temperaments; they hit it off at their first meeting and quickly became close confidants.)

Don't Say

• 产品的性情 — 性情 applies to people and occasionally animals; for inanimate objects use 特性 or 性质 to describe inherent properties

Origin & History

性 (nature/character) + 情 (feeling/emotion) — the emotional dimension of one's nature

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal