欠佳 (qiàn jiā) — to be less than satisfactory, to be not good enough (formal)

Definition

A formal/written way to say something is 'not good enough' (health, results, quality). Used in official or newspaper-style writing, not in everyday speech.

verb
to be less than satisfactoryto be not good enough (formal)

Examples

  • 欠佳，。
    Tā zuì jìn shēn tǐ qiàn jiā, xū yào duō xiū xi.
    He has been in poor health recently and needs more rest.
  • 欠佳，。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì de chéng jì qiàn jiā, xià cì yào gèng nǔ lì.
    The exam results this time were not good enough; next time you need to work harder.
  • 欠佳，。
    Yóu yú zhì liàng qiàn jiā, zhè pī chǎn pǐn bèi tuì huí le.
    Because the quality was unsatisfactory, this batch of products was returned.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

欠qiànlack
佳jiāgood

The idea is that 欠, 'to lack', is directed at 佳, 'good', so something lacks enough good quality.

Characters in this word

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

欠 is a kneeling person with an open mouth, shown in actions such as begging, speaking, blowing, singing, or being tired.

Open 欠 →

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
人人rénman; person
Sound part声符shēngfú
圭
圭guī佳jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

佳 combines 人 (person) with 圭, which is used for the sound guī.

Open 佳 →

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