精密 (jīng mì) — precise, accurate, refined | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used mainly for instruments, machinery, and technical work where 'precise' means fine-tolerance, high-accuracy engineering. Pairs with 仪器/机器; for general accuracy in speech or facts, use 准确.

adjective

preciseaccuraterefined

Examples

精密。
Zhè tái jīng mì jī qì kě yǐ cè liáng hěn xiǎo de biàn huà.
This precision machine can measure very small changes.
精密。
Tā men zuò le fēi cháng jīng mì de jì huà.
They made a very detailed plan.
精密。
Zhè ge yí qì de zhì zuò gōng yì hěn jīng mì.
The manufacturing process of this instrument is very refined.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

精 (fine) and 密 (close) combine to mean precise, exact, and tightly accurate.

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.

米青精

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng精jīng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

精 pairs 米 (rice) with 青, which gives the sound; the character originally meant polished rice.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

宓山密

Meaning part形符xíngfú

山山shānmountain

Sound part声符shēngfú

宓

宓mì密mì

Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Good & Bad

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