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概况 (gài kuàng) — general situation; overview, summary

Definition

概况 emphasizes the current state or overall condition of a situation (e.g., a region, meeting, field) — closer to 'general situation' than to a written summary. Compare 总结 (actively summing up) and 简介 (a short intro of a person/thing).

noun
general situationoverviewsummary

Examples

  • 概况。
    Qǐng jiǎn dān shuō míng yí xià zhè ge dì qū de jīng jì gài kuàng.
    Please briefly explain the economic overview of this region.
  • 概况？
    Nǐ néng bāng wǒ xiě yí fèn zhè cì huì yì de gài kuàng ma?
    Can you write a summary of this meeting for me?
  • 概况。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng jiè shào le zhōng guó jiào yù de gài kuàng.
    This article introduces an overview of education in China.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

概gàigeneral
况kuàngsituation

概 (general) aspects of a 况 (situation) give an overview.

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
既
既jì概gài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

概 pairs 木 (wood) with 既 as its sound part; the character meant a strickle.

Open 概 →

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 況; 况 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐriver
Sound part声符shēngfú
兄
兄xiōng況kuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 況 pairs 氵 (river) with 兄 as the sound part; the simplified 况 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 况 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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