TongTong
Sign in

度量 (dù liàng) — to measure; to assess; to estimate

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning 'to measure / assess' (size, cost, ability, etc.). 比 测量 more literary and broad — 量 (liáng) is the everyday word for physical measuring.

verb
to measureto assessto estimate

Examples

  • 度量。
    Wǒ men xū yào dù liàng yí xià zhè ge xiàng mù de chéng běn.
    We need to estimate the cost of this project.
  • 度量。
    Tā shàn yú dù liàng bié rén de néng lì.
    He is good at assessing other people's abilities.
  • 度量。
    Yòng chǐ zi dù liàng zhè kuài bù de cháng dù.
    Use a ruler to measure the length of this cloth.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

度dùmeasure
量liángmeasure

度 (measure) and 量 (measure) combine to mean measure or assess.

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →

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

  • 日日rìsun
  • 東東dōngbag; east

量 has 日 (sun) over 東 (bag; east). Some explanations suggest measuring under the sun or the sun rising in the east, but the exact origin is unclear.

Open 量 →
Appears in
Units & MeasurementThinking & Cognition

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