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干脆利落 (gān cuì lì luo) — direct and efficient; crisp and clean; without hesitation or fuss

Definition

An idiom for actions or speech that are clean, decisive, and waste no time or words — no hesitation, no extra fluff.

idiom
direct and efficientcrisp and cleanwithout hesitation or fuss

Examples

  • 干脆利落，。
    Tā huí dá wèn tí gān cuì lì luo, cóng bù tuō ní dài shuǐ.
    He answers questions directly and efficiently, never beating around the bush.
  • 干脆利落，。
    Zhè ge fāng àn zuò dé gān cuì lì luo, lǐng dǎo fēi cháng mǎn yì.
    This plan was executed cleanly and efficiently, and the boss was very satisfied.
  • 干脆利落，。
    Tā shuō huà gān cuì lì luo, yí jù fèi huà dōu méi yǒu.
    She speaks directly and to the point, without a single unnecessary word.

Origin

Characters in this word

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乙乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
倝
倝gàn乾gān
Same sound today
Open 干 →

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
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
絕
絕jué脆cuì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part ⺼, written as 肉, points to meat, and the right part 絕 gives the sound.

Open 脆 →

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

利 combines 禾 (grain) and 刀 (knife), showing a knife used to cut grain.

Open 利 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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