百分之一千 (bǎi fēn zhī yī qiān) — absolutely, one hundred percent (colloquial intensifier)

Definition

Colloquial emphatic 'absolutely, 100%' — literally 'one thousand percent'. Used in casual speech to strongly confirm or agree, stronger than a plain 一定.

numeral
absolutelyone hundred percent (colloquial intensifier)

Examples

  • 百分之一千。
    Wǒ bǎi fēn zhī yī qiān xiāng xìn nǐ de néng lì.
    I absolutely believe in your ability.
  • 百分之一千。
    Tā bǎi fēn zhī yī qiān huì lái cān jiā jù huì de.
    He will definitely come to the party.
  • 百分之一千。
    Zhè ge fāng àn bǎi fēn zhī yī qiān méi wèn tí.
    This plan is absolutely no problem.

Origin

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
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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
一一yīone, signifying a number
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén千qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

千 pairs 人, whose sound was similar, with 一, a number stroke; the extra line was explained as extension, and a thousand is a number reached by extending counting.

Open 千 →

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