TongTong
Sign in

恰如其分 (qià rú qí fèn) — (idiom) appropriate, apt, just right

Definition

A written chengyu meaning 'just right, perfectly measured' — stronger and more literary than the everyday 正好/恰好. Like 恰到好处 it describes ideal degree or proportion, but focuses on how fitting something is rather than lucky coincidence.

idiom
appropriateaptjust right

Examples

  • 恰如其分，。
    Tā de jiàn yì qià rú qí fèn, dà jiā dōu hěn zàn tóng.
    His suggestion was just right, and everyone agreed.
  • 恰如其分，。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de jié jú qià rú qí fèn, ràng rén huí wèi wú qióng.
    The ending of this movie is perfectly apt, leaving a lasting impression.
  • 恰如其分，。
    Tā shuō huà qià rú qí fèn, cóng bú ràng rén jué de gān gà.
    She speaks just the right way, never making anyone feel awkward.

Origin

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé恰qià
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恰 has 忄 (a form of 心) on the left and 合 on the right, which is used for its sound.

Open 恰 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ如rú
Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

Open 如 →

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

The modern form 其 comes from an early drawing of a basket, with a stand added underneath.

Open 其 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set PhrasesGood & Bad

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