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计较 (jì jiào) — to be overly concerned about (trivial matters), to mind too much; to haggle, to argue over details, to bicker

Definition

计较 is a verb meaning to fuss over or bicker about trivial things. Use it for petty quarreling (less heated than 吵架/争吵) and for being overly particular about small details — not for serious disputes.

verb
to be overly concerned about (trivial matters)to mind too muchto haggleto argue over detailsto bicker

Examples

  • ，计较。
    Tā hěn dà fāng, cóng bú jì jiào xiǎo shì.
    He is very generous and never bothers about small matters.
  • 计较，。
    Wèi le jǐ máo qián jì jiào gè bù tíng, zhēn méi bì yào.
    Haggling over a few cents endlessly is really unnecessary.
  • 计较，。
    Nǐ men bié jì jiào le, gǎn jǐn zuò jué dìng.
    Stop arguing and make a decision quickly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

计jìcalculate
较jiàocompare

计 calculate and 较 compare combine into weighing details or haggling.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.

Open 计 →

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 較; 较 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūvehicle
Sound part声符shēngfú
交
交jiāo較jiào
Same sound today

In the traditional form 較, 車 (vehicle) gives the sense and 交 gives the sound; the simplified 较 is a later abbreviation.

Open 较 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Conflict & Agreement

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