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媲美 (pì měi) — to be comparable to, to match (in quality or ability)

Definition

Literary/formal verb meaning 'to be comparable to, to match' (in quality). 比 等于 focuses on equality in value or number; 媲美 emphasizes rivaling something of high standard.

verb
to be comparable toto match (in quality or ability)

Examples

  • 媲美。
    Zhè jiā jiǔ diàn de fú wù kě yǐ pì měi wǔ xīng jí biāo zhǔn.
    The service of this hotel can match five-star standards.
  • 媲美。
    Tā de huì huà shuǐ píng pì měi zhuān yè huà jiā.
    His painting skill is comparable to professional artists.
  • 媲美。
    Zhè kuǎn shǒu jī de pāi zhào gōng néng pì měi zhuān yè xiàng jī.
    The camera function of this phone is comparable to a professional camera.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

媲pìmatch
美měibeauty

媲 (match) + 美 (beauty) means to equal beauty.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
𣬉
𣬉𣬉媲pì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

媲 pairs 女, a woman, with 𣬉, which is used for the sound.

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

美 shows 大, a person, wearing 羊, a headdress of feathers or ram's horn.

Open 美 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Comparison & Degree

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