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As a prefix, 超 indicates a high degree or beyond a certain scope, “ultra-” “extra-” or “super-”.
e.g.
超标 (chāo biāo) excessive
超支 (chāo zhī) overspend
超导 (chāodǎo) superconduct
超人 (chāorén) superman
超自然 (chāo zìrán) supernatural
As a prefix, 多 indicates more than one, “poly-” or “multi-”.
e.g.
多云 (duō yún) cloudy
多义词 (duōyìcí) polysemous word
多媒体 (duōméitǐ) multimedia
多细胞 (duōxìbāo) multicellular
As a prefix, 准 indicates almost reaching a certain level or status, “quasi-”.
e.g.
准新郎 (zhǔn xīnlánɡ) bridegroom-to-be
准明星 (zhǔn mínɡxīnɡ) people who hope to become a star but is not yet very well known
准决赛 (zhǔn juésài) semifinal
准成员 (zhǔn chénɡyuán) associate member
As a prefix, 反 indicates being against something, “anti-” or “counter-”.
e.g.
反恐 (fǎn kǒnɡ) anti-terrorism
反腐败 (fǎn fǔbài) against corruption
反倾销 (fǎn qīnɡxiāo) antidumping
反垄断 (fǎn lǒnɡduàn) antitrust
反法斯西 (fǎn fǎsīxī) against fascism
As a prefix, 亚 indicates something or a phenomenon that differs from the mainstream or trends, “sub-”.
e.g.
亚文化 (yà wénhuà) subculture
亚健康 (yà jiànkānɡ) subhealth
亚原子 (yà yuánzǐ) subatom
亚急性病 (yà jíxìnɡbìnɡ) subacute disease
As a prefix, 无 indicates there is nothing, “in-” “non-” or “un-”.
e.g.
无人区 (wú rén qū) depopulated zone
无脊椎 (wú jǐzhuī) invertebrate
无公害 (wú ɡōnɡhài) nuisanceless
无污染 (wú wūrǎn) free from contamination
无产阶级 (wú chǎn jiējí) proletariat
无条件投降 (wú tiáojiàn tóuxiánɡ) unconditional surrender
As a suffix, 化 indicates making something reach a certain degree or status, “-ize” or “-ization”.
e.g.
绿化 (lǜ huà) virescence
美化 (měi huà) beautify
多样化 (duōyànɡ huà) diversify
全球化 (quánqiú huà) globalization
城市化 (chénɡshì huà) urbanization
工业化 (ɡōnɡyè huà) industrialization
商业化 (shānɡyè huà) commercialize
As a suffix, 性 indicates a quality, nature, or character of something, “-ness” or “-ity”.
e.g.
良性 (liánɡ xìnɡ) optimum
恶性 (è xìnɡ) malignance
急性 (jí xìnɡ) irritable
经常性 (jīnɡchánɡ xìnɡ) usualness
流动性 (liúdònɡ xìnɡ) liquidity
欺骗性 (qīpiàn xìnɡ) fraudulence
阶段性 (jiēduàn xìnɡ) interim
原则性 (yuánzé xìnɡ) principle
As a suffix, 式 indicates a corresponding style, “style” or “mode”.
e.g.
男式 (nán shì) men style – 女式 (nǚ shì) woman style
老式 (lǎo shì) old style – 新式 (xīn shì) new style
中式 (zhōnɡ shì) Chinese style – 西式 (xī shì) western style
永久式 (yónɡjiǔ shì) everlasting style – 半永久式 (bànyónɡjiǔ shì) semi-permanent style
一站式 (yízhàn shì) single-stop type
便携式 (biànxié shì) portable
自杀式 (zìshā shì) suicide
美式咖啡 (měi shì kāfēi) Café Americano
As a suffix, 型 indicates a type or kind of something or people, “type” or “mode”.
e.g.
小型 (xiǎo xínɡ) small size – 中型 (zhōnɡ xínɡ) middle size – 大型 (dà xínɡ) large size
新型 (xīn xínɡ) new type
血型 (xuè xínɡ) blood type
U型管 (U xínɡ ɡuǎn) U tube
创造型人才 (chuànɡzào xínɡ réncái) creative talented person
圆拱型屋顶 (yuánɡǒnɡ xínɡ wūdǐnɡ) arched roof
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