TongTong
Sign in

精打细算 (jīng dǎ xì suàn) — (idiom) to budget meticulously; to plan carefully and economize

Definition

Idiom for budgeting money carefully and spending frugally. Compared to 一丝不苟 (meticulous in any task), 精打细算 is specifically about money and everyday household economy.

idiom
to budget meticulouslyto plan carefully and economize

Examples

  • 精打细算，。
    Tā jīng dǎ xì suàn, cóng bú luàn huā qián.
    He budgets meticulously and never wastes money.
  • 精打细算。
    Nǐ mǎi dōng xī zhī qián yīng gāi jīng dǎ xì suàn.
    You should plan carefully before buying things.
  • 精打细算。
    jīng dǎ xì suàn Cái néng ràng wǒ men de shēng huó gèng hǎo.
    Only by budgeting carefully can we make our life better.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

精打careful planning
精jīngcareful打dǎplan
偏正Modifier + head
细算careful reckoning
细xìcareful算suàncalculate
偏正Modifier + head

精打 conveys careful planning and 细算 conveys careful reckoning, together meaning meticulous budgeting.

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
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.

Open 精 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
囟
囟xìn細xì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

Open 细 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.