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检点 (jiǎn diǎn) — to examine carefully, to check; to be cautious/restrained in one's behavior (often used in the negative 不检点)

Definition

检点 (jiǎn diǎn) means to check or examine carefully, but is most often used as 不检点 ('improper behavior') to describe someone loose in speech or conduct — a moral-judgment use you won't get from plain 检查.

verb
to examine carefullyto checkto be cautious/restrained in one's behavior (often used in the negative 不检点)

Examples

  • ，检点。
    Chū fā qián, qǐng zǐ xì jiǎn diǎn yí xià xíng li.
    Before departure, please carefully check the luggage.
  • 检点。
    Tā yīn wèi xíng wéi bù jiǎn diǎn ér shòu dào le pī píng.
    He was criticized because of his improper behavior.
  • ，检点。
    Zuò wéi gōng zhòng rén wù, nǐ yīng gāi jiǎn diǎn zì jǐ de yán xíng.
    As a public figure, you should be careful about your words and deeds.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

检jiǎncheck/inspect
点diǎnexamine/count

检 and 点 both involve checking, so the word means to examine carefully or restrain oneself.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 檢; 检 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān檢jiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 檢 pairs 木 (wood) with 僉 as a sound part; it may originally have pictured a blade on top of a wooden spear. The simplified 检 is a later shorthand.

Open 检 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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