严丝合缝 (yán sī hé fèng) — (idiom) to fit perfectly; to be in seamless agreement (of testimonies, plans, parts)

Definition

Idiom meaning pieces fit together with no gap at all — used for physical joints (boards, parts) and for plans or testimonies that mesh perfectly. Often adverbial, modifying a verb like 拼, 合, or 配合.

idiom
to fit perfectlyto be in seamless agreement (of testimonies, plans, parts)

Examples

  • 严丝合缝，。
    Shuāng fāng de zhèng cí yán sī hé fèng, fǎ guān lì kè xiāng xìn le.
    The two sides' testimonies matched perfectly, and the judge believed them immediately.
  • 严丝合缝，。
    Zhè ge jì huà de měi gè huán jié dōu yán sī hé fèng, méi yǒu lòu dòng.
    Every link of this plan fits together seamlessly — there are no loopholes.
  • ，严丝合缝，。
    Liǎng kuài mù bǎn dǎ mó hòu pīn zài yì qǐ, yán sī hé fèng, jī hū kàn bù chū jiē fèng.
    The two wooden boards were sanded and joined together so perfectly that the seam is almost invisible.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絲; 丝 is its simplified writing.

  • 糸糸mì
  • 糸糸mì

In the traditional form 絲, the shape is two 糸 written together; this is about 絲, not the simplified 丝.

Open 丝 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Open 合 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 縫; 缝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng縫fèng(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 縫 pairs 糸 with 逢; 逢 gives the sound, and 糸 fits the sense. The simplified 缝 is a shorthand.

Open 缝 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.