韧性
rèn xìng · HSK 7
toughness
🪢 韧 = tough/pliable + 性 = nature/quality; the quality of bending without snapping
韧 is the toughness of leather or rope that flexes under strain; 性 marks an inherent trait, like in 性格 (character). Together: the trait of enduring stress without breaking. Sounds like REN-shing.
性 — heart radical 忄 + 生 (life/birth)
性 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The heart radical 忄 supplies the meaning, pointing to inner feelings or innate qualities, while 生 ('birth, life') gives the sound and hints at what one is born with. It originally meant 'inborn nature' and later extended to 'character,' 'gender,' and 'sex.'