形成 (xíngchéng) — to form; to take shape
HSK 5 | verb | to form; to come into being; to develop into
形成 (xíngchéng)
形成 means to come into being or take shape gradually, often through a natural or long-term process, and is one of the most commonly used formal verbs in Chinese.
Meanings
- [verb] to form; to take shape; to come into being
- [verb] to develop into; to result in (a pattern, habit, or situation)
Example Sentences
经过长期的历史发展，这一地区形成了独特的文化传统。 Jīngguò chángqī de lìshǐ fāzhǎn, zhè yī dìqū xíngchéngle dútè de wénhuà chuántǒng. Through long historical development, this region formed a unique cultural tradition.
良好的学习习惯需要从小开始培养，才能逐渐形成。 Liánghǎo de xuéxí xíguàn xūyào cóng xiǎo kāishǐ péiyǎng, cái néng zhújiàn xíngchéng. Good study habits need to be cultivated from an early age before they can gradually form.
两极分化的格局正在许多国家的社会中逐渐形成。 Liǎng jí fēnhuà de géjú zhèngzài xǔduō guójiā de shèhuì zhōng zhújiàn xíngchéng. A pattern of polarization is gradually forming in the societies of many countries.
这种创作风格是他在十多年的创作实践中逐渐形成的。 Zhè zhǒng chuàngzuò fēnggé shì tā zài shí duō nián de chuàngzuò shíjiàn zhōng zhújiàn xíngchéng de. This creative style gradually formed over more than ten years of creative practice.
台风形成于海洋上温暖潮湿的大气条件。 Táifēng xíngchéng yú hǎiyáng shàng wēnnuǎn cháoshī de dàqì tiáojiàn. Typhoons form under warm, humid atmospheric conditions over the ocean.
长期的积累使他在经济学领域形成了自己的分析体系。 Chángqī de jīlěi shǐ tā zài jīngjìxué lǐngyù xíngchéngle zìjǐ de fēnxī tǐxì. Long-term accumulation allowed him to develop his own analytical system in the field of economics.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 逐渐形成 (zhújiàn xíngchéng) | gradually form |
| 形成习惯 (xíngchéng xíguàn) | develop a habit |
| 形成共识 (xíngchéng gòngshí) | reach a consensus |
| 形成机制 (xíngchéng jīzhì) | form a mechanism |
| 形成对比 (xíngchéng duìbǐ) | form a contrast |
| 自然形成 (zìrán xíngchéng) | naturally form |
Usage Notes
形成 is one of the most versatile formal verbs in Chinese and appears constantly in academic, journalistic, and official writing. It implies a process of development or emergence, usually gradual, in contrast to 建立 (jiànlì), which suggests a more deliberate founding moment.
形成共识 (to reach/form a consensus) is a very common phrase in political and meeting contexts. 形成对比 (to form a contrast) is useful in comparative analysis. At B2, learners should note that 形成 often works with 逐渐 (gradually) to emphasize the processual nature.
Memory Hook
XING (形, form/shape) + CHENG (成, to become/accomplish) = a shape becoming complete and coming into existence.