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称得上 (chēng de shàng) — deserve to be called, be worthy of being called

Definition

称得上的 pinyin is chēng, not chèn — a common pitfall. It pairs with an adjective or noun to mean the subject merits that label (e.g. 称得上专业 = 'can rightly be called professional'), implying earned, defensible status.

verb
deserve to be calledbe worthy of being called

Examples

  • 称得上。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de cài chēng de shàng hǎo chī.
    The food at this restaurant can be called delicious.
  • 称得上。
    Tā de gē shēng chēng de shàng zhuān yè.
    Her singing can be called professional.
  • 称得上。
    Tā de zhōng wén shuǐ píng chēng de shàng liú lì.
    His Chinese level can be called fluent.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 稱; 称 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
爯
爯chēng稱chēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 稱 pairs 禾 (rice) with 爯, a part giving the sound; it is explained as measuring rice. The simplified 称 is a later shorthand.

Open 称 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

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

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →
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