审慎 (shěn shèn) — cautious, circumspect

Definition

A formal, written word for 'cautious and careful in judgment' — stronger and more deliberative than 小心 (everyday 'be careful'), used in serious contexts like policy or finance.

adjective
cautiouscircumspect

Examples

  • 审慎。
    Tā zuò shì yí xiàng hěn shěn shèn.
    He is always very cautious in his work.
  • 审慎。
    Zhèng fǔ zài zhì dìng zhèng cè shí bì xū shěn shèn kǎo lǜ.
    The government must consider cautiously when making policies.
  • ，审慎。
    Tóu zī zhī qián, jiàn yì nǐ shěn shèn píng gū fēng xiǎn.
    Before investing, it is recommended that you cautiously assess the risks.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

审shěncareful examination
慎shèncautious

“审” means careful examination and “慎” means cautiousness, combined to describe being cautious.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 審; 审 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 釆釆biànto distinguish
  • 田田tián

The simplified 审 abbreviates the traditional 審, which is built from 宀 (roof) and 釆 (to distinguish); the lower 田 is uncertain.

Open 审 →

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
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
真
真zhēn慎shèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 慎, the left part 心 points to the mind or feeling, while the right part 真 supplies the sound.

Open 慎 →

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