Chinese word

原始

Pronunciation

Pinyinyuán shǐ

Meaning

  • adjectiveprimitive

Example

这个地区还很原始，没有现代设施。zhè ge dì qū hái hěn yuán shǐ méi yǒu xiàn dài shè shī

This area is still very primitive and has no modern facilities.

Illustration for 原始 (primitive)

More examples

考古学家发现了很多原始的遗物。káo gǔ xué jiā fā xiàn le hěn duō yuán shǐ de yí wù

Archaeologists discovered many primitive artifacts.

Core concept

Something close to its first form, with little processing, polishing, technology, or cultivation added to it.

Common phrases

  • 原始社会yuán shǐ shè huì

    primitive society

  • 原始森林yuán shǐ sēn lín

    primeval forest

  • 原始记录yuán shǐ jì lù

    original records

  • 原始状态yuán shǐ zhuàng tài

    primitive state

Similar words

简陋jiǎn lòu: Poorly equipped and plain because needed facilities or details are missing.
落后luò hòu: Not keeping up with the development or progress of its time.
未开发wèi kāi fā: Having received very little development, construction, or preparation for use.

Definition in Chinese

指处于起始阶段、未经过细化或文明发展，表现为简单、粗糙或未开垦的样态。zhǐ chǔ yú qí shǐ jiē duàn wèi jīng guò xì huà huò wén míng fā zhǎn biǎo xiàn wèi jiǎn dān cū cāo huò wèi kāi kěn de yàng tài

Word origin

The compound 原始 (yuánshǐ, "primitive") joins the ideas of an origin and a beginning to describe a condition that has not yet passed through later stages of development.

Usage tips

  • English raw often focuses on food or materials that have not been processed, while 原始 (yuánshǐ, "primitive") applies more broadly to an early, rough, or undeveloped condition.

Other meanings

  • rawadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 原始社会yuán shǐ shè huìprimitive societynoun
  • 原始记录yuán shǐ jì lùoriginal recordnoun

Word lists with this word