聪敏 (cōng mǐn) — intelligent and quick-witted, sharp, perceptive

Definition

Means 'sharply clever' — combines quickness (敏) with intelligence (聪), emphasizing fast perception and ready wit rather than depth of knowledge. Synonymous with 聪明 but more literary.

noun
intelligent and quick-wittedsharpperceptive

Examples

  • 聪敏，。
    Zhè hái zi hěn cōng mǐn, yí jiào jiù huì.
    This child is very sharp — learns as soon as you teach.
  • 聪敏，。
    Tā shì gè cōng mǐn de xué shēng, zǒng néng jǔ yī fǎn sān.
    She's a quick-witted student who can always draw inferences.
  • 聪敏，。
    Tā cōng mǐn guò rén, hěn kuài jiù kàn chuān le duì fāng de yì tú.
    He's exceptionally perceptive and saw through the other party's intentions quickly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

聪cōngacute hearing
敏mǐnquick-witted

聪 (acute hearing) + 敏 (quick-witted) together mean sharp, perceptive intelligence.

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 聰; 聪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
囪
囪cōng聰cōng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聰 has 耳, the ear, beside a right side made of 囪, a window giving the sound, over 心, the heart; the simplified 聪 is a later abbreviation.

Open 聪 →

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
攴攴pūhand; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi敏mǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

敏 pairs 每, which gives the sound, with 攴, a hand/action part.

Open 敏 →

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