性格 (xìnggé) means 'personality' — the distinctive set of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral patterns that make a person unique. Literally, 性 (xìng) means 'nature' or 'innate quality', and 格 (gé) means 'pattern', 'style', or 'standard'; together, they convey the idea of one's inherent, consistent way of thinking, feeling, and acting. It’s used to describe stable traits like kindness, shyness, confidence, or stubbornness — not temporary moods.

This word appears frequently in everyday conversation, psychology, education, and self-introductions. Unlike 气质 (qìzhì, 'temperament') or 个性 (gèxìng, 'individuality'), 性格 emphasizes observable, relatively enduring behavioral tendencies rather than subtle aura or uniqueness per se. It’s neutral in tone and appropriate for both formal and informal contexts — you might discuss someone’s 性格 in a job interview, a friendship, or a family discussion about child development.