自成一体
zì chéng yī tǐ
to have a style or system all of its own
Character by character
自zì
self
self
成chéng
form
form
一yī
one
one
体tǐ
body
body
Example
这位画家吸收了中西绘画的长处，却又自成一体，一眼就能认出是他的作品。
The painter took the strengths of Chinese and Western painting, yet his style is all his own: you can tell his work at a glance.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
Said of art, writing, cuisine, architecture and whole cultures that are distinctive and complete in themselves: 风格自成一体, 自成一体的建筑. 自成一家 is close, but is used mostly of a writer or scholar who founds a school of his own.
Learn this in Lesson 174 · HSK 7–9: 三星堆 (Sanxingdui)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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