求全 (qiú quán) — to demand perfection (often used critically); to strive for completeness or a full result

Definition

求全 means 'to demand perfection' — usually with a critical sense, as in 求全责备. It pairs with 责备, not with 委曲求全, which means 'to compromise for the bigger picture' and is a set phrase to learn whole.

verb
to demand perfection (often used critically)to strive for completeness or a full result

Examples

  • 求全，。
    Tā duì gōng zuò qiú quán zé bèi, ràng tóng shì hěn jǐn zhāng.
    He demands perfection and nitpicks at work, making his colleagues very nervous.
  • ，。
    Wèi le dà jú, tā xuǎn zé le wěi qū qiú quán.
    For the sake of the bigger picture, he chose to compromise and seek a complete resolution.
  • 求全，。
    Zuò shì bù néng yí wèi qiú quán, yào dǒng de shì kě ér zhǐ.
    You can't always demand perfection in everything; you need to know when to stop.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

求qiúseek
全quáncomplete

求 and 全 describe seeking completeness or perfection.

Characters in this word

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

求 began as a drawing of a centipede.

Open 求 →

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

The shape puts 入 together with 玉 to show a whole piece of jade, so it means complete or whole.

Open 全 →

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