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瞄准 (miáo zhǔn) — to take aim at (with a weapon); to target (a market, audience, etc.)

Definition

瞄准 (miáozhǔn) literally means 'to take aim' with a weapon, and extends to targeting a market or audience. Compared to 针对, 瞄准 is more concrete and action-oriented (lining something up); 针对 is broader, meaning 'directed at' an issue or group.

verb
to take aim at (with a weapon)to target (a market, audience, etc.)

Examples

  • 瞄准。
    Liè rén miáo zhǔn le nà zhī tù zi.
    The hunter aimed at that rabbit.
  • 瞄准。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī miáo zhǔn gāo duān shì chǎng.
    This company targets the high-end market.
  • 瞄准。
    Xīn chǎn pǐn miáo zhǔn nián qīng yòng hù.
    The new product targets young users.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

瞄miáoaim
准zhǔnaccurate

瞄 is to aim, and 准 adds the idea of hitting accurately; together they mean to target.

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
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
苗
苗miáo瞄miáo
Same sound today

瞄 pairs 目 (eye) with 苗, which gives the sound; the eye part shows the meaning is about looking.

Open 瞄 →

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 準; 准 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
隼
隼sǔn準zhǔn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 準, not 准, pairs 水 (water) with 隼 as a sound part; the evidence describes it as 'water level'.

Open 准 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Military & Defense5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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