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个体

gè tǐ
noun★Intermediate💡 individual
formal

A single human being considered as distinct from a group or society.

在现代社会,个体的权利受到法律保护。

In modern society, the rights of individuals are protected by law.

个体户需要缴纳个人所得税。

Individual household businesses need to pay personal income tax.

💡

In Chinese, '个体' often refers to self-employed individuals or small business owners, especially in legal or economic contexts.

biology

A single organism, especially when regarded as distinct from a group or colony.

生物学家研究单个细胞的行为,即个体细胞的活动。

Biologists study the behavior of single cells, i.e., individual cellular activity.

💡

Less common in English; 'individual' or 'single organism' is typically used.

Collocations

个体经营individual operation个体户self-employed individual个体权利individual rights个体意识individual consciousness

Synonyms

个人单独者独立个体

Antonyms

集体群体

Related Phrases

个体经济phrase
individual economy / self-employed sector
个体意识phrase
individualism / individual awareness

💡Pro Tip

Distinguishing '个体' from '个人'

'个体' often implies a legal or economic status (e.g., '个体户'), while '个人' is more general and can refer to any person. For example, '个人信息' (personal information) uses '个人', not '个体'.

⚡Gold Rule

When to use '个体'

Use '个体' when referring to self-employed individuals, small business owners, or entities operating independently in a formal or economic context. Avoid using it for abstract concepts like 'individuality' (use '个性' instead).

📖Word Origin

The term '个体' (gètǐ) is composed of '个' (gè), a measure word meaning 'unit' or 'piece', and '体' (tǐ), meaning 'body' or 'entity'. Together, they convey the idea of a distinct unit or individual entity.

📝Usage Notes

'个体' is commonly used in legal, economic, and sociological contexts to refer to an individual person or entity operating independently. In contrast, '集体' (group) refers to a collective. Avoid using '个体' to describe inanimate objects; '单独' (single) or '独立' (independent) is preferred.

Word Breakdown

个
measure word for discrete items or units
root
+
体
body, entity, or form
root
汉英词典

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