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清算 (qīng suàn) — (finance) to clear accounts, to liquidate; (figurative) to settle scores, to expose and criticize

Definition

In its literal sense, 清算 means to clear accounts or liquidate assets (e.g. when a company goes bankrupt). Figuratively, it means to settle scores or purge — exposing and punishing past wrongdoers.

verb
(finance) to clear accountsto liquidate(figurative) to settle scoresto expose and criticize

Examples

  • ，清算。
    Gōng sī pò chǎn hòu, bì xū jìn xíng qīng suàn.
    After the company went bankrupt, it had to undergo liquidation.
  • 清算。
    Tā men jué dìng qīng suàn guò qù de ēn yuàn.
    They decided to settle past grievances.
  • 清算。
    Zhè cì yùn dòng qīng suàn le xǔ duō fǔ bài guān yuán.
    This campaign purged many corrupt officials.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

清qīngclear up
算suànsettle accounts

清 (clear up) and 算 (settle accounts) together mean settle or liquidate.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng清qīng
Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

Open 清 →

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

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

Open 算 →
Appears in
Finance & Banking

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