Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== dìngqī: 定期 - Fixed Period, Regular, Scheduled ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** dingqi meaning, 定期, Chinese word for regular, scheduled in Chinese, fixed period, regular check-up Chinese, 定期存款, fixed-term deposit, recurring, periodical, HSK 4 vocabulary * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **定期 (dìngqī)**, which means "at a fixed period," "regular," or "scheduled." This term is crucial for understanding common situations in China related to banking (like a **定期存款** or fixed-term deposit), health (a **定期检查** or regular check-up), and business (a **定期会议** or regular meeting). This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage with clear examples. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dìngqī * **Part of Speech:** Adjective, Adverb * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** Pertaining to a fixed period of time or occurring at regular, set intervals. * **In a Nutshell:** **定期 (dìngqī)** is all about predictability and schedules. It describes actions or events that happen on a recurring, non-random basis (e.g., weekly, monthly, annually) or for a pre-determined duration. Think of it as the opposite of "spontaneous" or "flexible." If something is **定期**, it's locked into a timetable. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **定 (dìng):** To set, to fix, to decide, stable. Imagine putting a roof (宀) over something to fix it in its proper (正) place. It implies stability and a lack of change. * **期 (qī):** A period of time, a phase, a date. The character contains the component for "moon" (月), which is one of humanity's oldest tools for measuring periods of time (e.g., a month). * Together, **定 (dìng)** and **期 (qī)** literally mean "a fixed period of time." This combination perfectly captures the concept of a recurring schedule or a set duration. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * While not a deep philosophical term, **定期** is deeply embedded in the practical fabric of modern Chinese life, reflecting a cultural emphasis on planning, stability, and prudence. * **Financial Prudence:** The most common use, **定期存款 (dìngqī cúnkuǎn)** or "fixed-term deposit," is a cornerstone of personal finance in China. This practice, where money is locked away for a set period for a higher interest rate, highlights a strong cultural value of saving for the future and financial security. It contrasts with a more Western emphasis on stock market investment or flexible savings, showing a preference for guaranteed, stable returns. * **Emphasis on Routine and Order:** In business, education, and even health, the use of **定期** underscores a societal value for order and routine. **定期会议 (dìngqī huìyì)** ensure communication flows predictably, **定期考试 (dìngqī kǎoshì)** create a structured learning rhythm, and **定期体检 (dìngqī tǐjiǎn)** promote preventative healthcare. This structured approach is seen as a reliable path to achieving long-term goals. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **定期** is used in slightly more formal contexts. You wouldn't typically use it to say you "regularly" watch a TV show (you'd use `常常 chángcháng`), but you would use it for official or important scheduled activities. * **In Finance and Banking** * This is the most common context. A **定期存款 (dìngqī cúnkuǎn)** is a fixed-term deposit account. The opposite is a **活期存款 (huóqī cúnkuǎn)**, a current or savings account with a flexible term. * **In Health and Maintenance** * It's used for any kind of recurring check-up or maintenance. * **定期体检 (dìngqī tǐjiǎn):** a regular physical check-up. * **定期保养 (dìngqī bǎoyǎng):** regular maintenance (for a car, machine, etc.). * **In Business and Work** * It describes recurring reports, meetings, and evaluations. * **定期会议 (dìngqī huìyì):** a regular meeting (e.g., a weekly team meeting). * **定期报告 (dìngqī bàogào):** a periodic report (e.g., a quarterly sales report). * **In Publications** * It's used to describe magazines or journals. * **定期刊物 (dìngqī kānwù):** a periodical publication. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我把一部分钱存了**定期**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ yībùfèn qián cúnle **dìngqī**. * English: I deposited a portion of my money into a fixed-term account. * Analysis: This is an extremely common, everyday sentence related to personal banking in China. Here, **定期** functions as a noun, short for `定期存款`. * **Example 2:** * 为了身体健康，你应该每年做一次**定期**体检。 * Pinyin: Wèile shēntǐ jiànkāng, nǐ yīnggāi měi nián zuò yīcì **dìngqī** tǐjiǎn. * English: For the sake of your health, you should have a regular physical check-up once a year. * Analysis: Here, **定期** acts as an adjective modifying "physical check-up" (`体检`), emphasizing that it should be a scheduled, annual event. * **Example 3:** * 我们公司每个星期一都**定期**召开部门会议。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī měi ge xīngqīyī dōu **dìngqī** zhàokāi bùmén huìyì. * English: Our company regularly holds a departmental meeting every Monday. * Analysis: In this sentence, **定期** is used as an adverb, describing *how* the meeting is held—on a fixed schedule. * **Example 4:** * 这台机器需要**定期**保养，否则容易出问题。 * Pinyin: Zhè tái jīqì xūyào **dìngqī** bǎoyǎng, fǒuzé róngyì chū wèntí. * English: This machine needs regular maintenance, otherwise it will easily have problems. * Analysis: This shows the use of **定期** in the context of maintenance. The schedule (e.g., every 3 months) is implied. * **Example 5:** * 经理要求我们**定期**向他汇报项目进展。 * Pinyin: Jīnglǐ yāoqiú wǒmen **dìngqī** xiàng tā huìbào xiàngmù jìnzhǎn. * English: The manager requires us to report the project's progress to him regularly. * Analysis: This is a classic business usage. The adverb **定期** implies a formal, scheduled reporting structure, not just casual updates. * **Example 6:** * 这种杂志是**定期**刊物，每个月出版一期。 * Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng zázhì shì **dìngqī** kānwù, měi ge yuè chūbǎn yī qī. * English: This kind of magazine is a periodical, published once every month. * Analysis: **定期** is the core word used to describe publications like journals and magazines that come out on a fixed schedule. * **Example 7:** * 为了保持公寓干净，房东会派人来**定期**打扫。 * Pinyin: Wèile bǎochí gōngyù gānjìng, fángdōng huì pài rén lái **dìngqī** dǎsǎo. * English: To keep the apartment clean, the landlord will send someone to clean it regularly. * Analysis: While cleaning can be informal, using **定期** here implies a formal arrangement, like a scheduled weekly or bi-weekly cleaning service. * **Example 8:** * **定期**存款的利率通常比活期存款高。 * Pinyin: **Dìngqī** cúnkuǎn de lìlǜ tōngcháng bǐ huóqī cúnkuǎn gāo. * English: The interest rate for a fixed-term deposit is usually higher than that of a current deposit. * Analysis: This sentence directly compares the two main types of bank accounts in China, highlighting the financial trade-off between flexibility and returns. * **Example 9:** * 学校会**定期**组织消防演习。 * Pinyin: Xuéxiào huì **dìngqī** zǔzhī xiāofáng yǎnxí. * English: The school will regularly organize fire drills. * Analysis: This demonstrates its use in official or institutional contexts. The fire drills happen at set intervals (e.g., once a semester). * **Example 10:** * 如果你不**定期**给植物浇水，它们很快就会死的。 * Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bù **dìngqī** gěi zhíwù jiāo shuǐ, tāmen hěn kuài jiù huì sǐ de. * English: If you don't water the plants regularly, they will die soon. * Analysis: A more informal example, but **定期** still implies a consistent schedule (e.g., every two days) is needed, rather than just "often." ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`定期 (dìngqī)` vs. `按时 (ànshí)`: This is the most critical distinction.** * **定期 (dìngqī)** focuses on the **regular interval** or **fixed period**. It answers the question "How often does it happen on a schedule?" (e.g., monthly, yearly). * **[[按时]] (ànshí)** means **on time**. It focuses on **punctuality** for a single, specific event. It answers the question "Did you arrive at the scheduled time?" * **Correct:** 我们**定期**（每个月）开会，请你明天**按时**（早上9点）参加。 (Wǒmen **dìngqī** kāihuì, qǐng nǐ míngtiān **ànshí** cānjiā.) -> We meet **regularly** (every month), please attend **on time** (at 9 AM) tomorrow. * **Incorrect:** 会议九点开始，你一定要**定期**来。(Huìyì jiǔ diǎn kāishǐ, nǐ yīdìng yào **dìngqī** lái.) * **Why it's wrong:** The sentence is about being punctual for one specific meeting time (9 o'clock), not about attending on a recurring schedule. It should be **按时来 (ànshí lái)**. * **Formality vs. Frequency:** * Don't use **定期** for casual, high-frequency actions. Use **[[常常]] (chángcháng)** (often) or **[[总是]] (zǒngshì)** (always) instead. * **Correct:** 我**常常**去那家咖啡馆。(Wǒ **chángcháng** qù nà jiā kāfēi guǎn.) - I **often** go to that coffee shop. * **Incorrect:** 我**定期**去那家咖啡馆。(Wǒ **dìngqī** qù nà jiā kāfēi guǎn.) - This sounds strange, as if you have a formal, scheduled appointment to go there every Tuesday at 2 PM. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[按时]] (ànshí) - On time, punctually. Contrasts with `定期` by focusing on punctuality for one event, not the regularity of multiple events. * [[活期]] (huóqī) - Current (term); flexible. The direct antonym in a banking context (`活期存款` vs. `定期存款`). * [[固定]] (gùdìng) - Fixed, set. A close synonym, but often used for things that are physically fixed or unchanging, like a `固定` salary (`固定工资`) or a `固定` location (`固定地点`). * [[不定期]] (bù dìngqī) - Irregularly, from time to time. The direct antonym, meaning something happens without a fixed schedule. * [[准时]] (zhǔnshí) - Punctual, on time. A synonym for `按时`. * [[常常]] (chángcháng) - Often, frequently. A less formal adverb that indicates high frequency but not a fixed schedule. * [[期间]] (qījiān) - Period, duration. A related noun that refers to a span of time (e.g., `在春节期间` - during the Spring Festival period). * [[限期]] (xiànqī) - Deadline, time limit. Also uses `期`, but refers to the final point in time by which something must be done.