讲求 (jiǎng qiú) — to be particular about; to pay attention to; to stress

Definition

Used when a standard or quality is the focus of attention — to value, insist on, or make a point of (efficiency, freshness, accuracy, etc.). More formal and value-driven than the everyday 注意 ('pay attention to'), which simply notices things.

verb
to be particular aboutto pay attention toto stress

Examples

  • 讲求，。
    Tā zuò shì fēi cháng jiǎng qiú xiào lǜ, cóng bú làng fèi shí jiān.
    He is very particular about efficiency when doing things and never wastes time.
  • 讲求，。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng jiǎng qiú shí cái de xīn xiān dù, suǒ yǐ shēng yì hěn hǎo.
    This restaurant stresses the freshness of ingredients, so business is good.
  • ，讲求。
    Zài xué shù yán jiū zhōng, wǒ men yīng dāng jiǎng qiú yán jǐn de tài dù.
    In academic research, we should pay attention to a rigorous attitude.

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.

讲jiǎngemphasize
求qiúseek

讲 is emphasizing, and 求 is seeking; together they mean paying attention to something.

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 講; 讲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
冓
冓gòu講jiǎng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 講 puts 言, say, beside 冓, which gave it its sound; the simplified 讲 is a later abbreviation.

Open 讲 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

求 began as a drawing of a centipede.

Open 求 →

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