精简 (jīng jiǎn) — to simplify; to streamline; to downsize | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

精简 means to streamline or trim away the non-essential (organs, procedures, content). Pairs with 机构/流程; more about cutting excess than shortening length (缩短) or reducing quantity (削减).

verb

to simplifyto streamlineto downsize

Examples

，精简。
Wèi le tí gāo xiào lǜ, gōng sī jué dìng jīng jiǎn jī gòu.
To improve efficiency, the company decided to streamline its departments.
，精简。
Zhè ge bào gào nèi róng tài duō, xū yào jīng jiǎn yí xià.
This report has too much content and needs to be condensed a bit.
精简。
Zhèng fǔ nǔ lì jīng jiǎn xíng zhèng shěn pī liú chéng.
The government is working to simplify the administrative approval process.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

简jiǎnsimplify

精 (refine) and 简 (make simple) combine to mean streamline or reduce.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 簡; 简 is its simplified writing.

竹間簡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

間

閒xián簡jiǎn

Same sound today

In the traditional form 簡, 竹 (bamboo) is paired with 間 (also written 閒) as a sound part; the simplified 简 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Management

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