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长处 (cháng chù) — strong points, good aspects

Definition

长处 means a person's good qualities or strong points, often paired with 短处 ('weakness'). More general than 优点 (typically a single merit) and broader than 特长 (a special skill).

noun
strong pointsgood aspects

Examples

  • 长处。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de cháng chù hé duǎn chù.
    Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.
  • 长处。
    Nǐ yīng gāi duō fā huī zì jǐ de cháng chù.
    You should give full play to your strengths.
  • 长处。
    Tā de zuì dà cháng chù shì néng shuō huì dào.
    His greatest strength is being eloquent.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

长chánggood
处chùpoint

From 长 meaning good or strong and 处 meaning point, giving a good point about someone.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Good & Bad

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