Word + 性 (-ness / -ity)
Making "-ness / -ity" nouns
- Word + nature性 turns a quality into an abstract noun: "-ness / -ity".
- important重要 + nature性 = importance重要性 (importance); maybe / possible可能 + nature性 = possibility可能性 (possibility).
- nature性 is a handy suffix for formal, abstract concepts.
Word + nature性
- nature性 converts an adjective / verb into an abstract noun.
this这(measure word)件matter事的importance重要性very很high高。
- importance重要性 = "importance."
Explore
Correct or broken?
性 hangs off a word to mint an abstract noun: safety-ness, representativeness.
Practice
Make “importance” from 重要: 重要 ____。
Word + 性 = -ness / -ity: 重要性 (importance).
Practice
性 turns a quality into an abstract noun.
Yes — 重要性, 必要性, 安全性.
Recap
Key idea
- Word + nature性 — "-ness / -ity" (an abstract noun)
- importance重要性 · possibility可能性 · security安全性 · necessity必要性
- A formal suffix for abstract concepts
Read the full reference: HSK 6 grammar — Nouns.
Practice
可能性 means…
可能 + 性 = possibility; 安全 + 性 = safety.