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掂量 (diān liáng) — to weigh in the hand (to estimate weight); to consider, to ponder, to think over carefully

Definition

Literally 'weigh in the hand,' it extends figuratively to weighing options in your mind. 衡量 stresses logical comparison and is more formal; 掂量 is more concrete and colloquial.

verb
to weigh in the hand (to estimate weight)to considerto ponderto think over carefully

Examples

  • 掂量。
    Nǐ diān liáng yí xià zhè ge xī guā yǒu duō chóng.
    Weigh this watermelon in your hand and see how heavy it is.
  • 掂量掂量。
    Zhè jiàn shì nǐ dé hǎo hǎo diān liáng diān liáng zài zuò jué dìng.
    You need to think this matter over carefully before making a decision.
  • 掂量，。
    Tā diān liáng le bàn tiān, hái shì méi ná dìng zhǔ yì.
    He pondered for a long time but still couldn't make up his mind.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

掂diānweigh in hand
量liángmeasure

掂 and 量 both mean to weigh or measure, together giving careful estimation.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
店
店diàn掂diān
Same sound today

In 掂, the left part 扌 is a hand, and the right part 店 gives the sound.

Open 掂 →

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
Thinking & Cognition

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