一筹 (yī chóu) — a notch (above), a cut (above)

Definition

一筹 (yī chóu) is a fixed unit meaning 'a notch higher' — used almost only in the set phrases 高一筹 and 略胜一筹 to say someone is slightly better. It's literary, not everyday speech.

noun
a notch (above)a cut (above)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā de néng lì bǐ tóng shì gāo yī chóu.
    His ability is a notch above his colleagues.
  • 一筹，。
    Zhè zhī qiú duì lüè shèng yī chóu, yíng dé le bǐ sài.
    This team was slightly superior and won the match.
  • 。
    Tā de shè jì bǐ bié rén de gāo yī chóu.
    Her design is a cut above the others.

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.

一yīone
筹chóucounting stick

一 means one, 筹 is a counting stick, so it denotes a small notch or advantage.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 籌; 筹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
壽
壽shòu籌chóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 籌 has 竹 (bamboo) on top and 壽 below as the sound part; the simplified 筹 is a later shorthand.

Open 筹 →

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