各有所长 (gè yǒu suǒ cháng) — each has his/her own strong points; everyone has their own strengths

Definition

Idiom meaning each person has their own strengths — often used to justify teamwork or comparing people fairly. Not a near-synonym of any listed sibling.

idiom
each has his/her own strong pointseveryone has their own strengths

Examples

  • 各有所长，。
    Tā men gè yǒu suǒ cháng, hé zuò qǐ lái xiào lǜ hěn gāo.
    Each of them has their own strengths, so working together is very efficient.
  • 各有所长，，。
    Zhè liǎng gè xué shēng gè yǒu suǒ cháng, yí gè shù xué hǎo, yí gè yǔ wén hǎo.
    These two students each have their own strengths — one is good at math, the other at Chinese.
  • ，各有所长。
    Bú bì xiàn mù bié rén, qí shí rén rén gè yǒu suǒ cháng.
    There's no need to envy others; in fact, everyone has their own strengths.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

各 shows a sole of a foot (夂) coming into an entrance (口), for the sense of coming or entering.

Open 各 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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