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兼得 (jiān dé) — to have both at the same time; to obtain simultaneously

Definition

Literary verb meaning 'to have both at once' — two desirable things (e.g. 鱼和熊掌) in one stroke. Almost always used after 可/不可 to weigh a tradeoff.

verb
to have both at the same timeto obtain simultaneously

Examples

  • 兼得。
    Zhè ge fāng àn kě yǐ jiān dé xiào lǜ hé chéng běn kòng zhì.
    This plan can achieve both efficiency and cost control.
  • 兼得。
    Tā xī wàng jiān dé shì yè hé jiā tíng.
    She hopes to have both career and family.
  • 兼得，。
    Yú hé xióng zhǎng bù kě jiān dé, nǐ bì xū zuò chū xuǎn zé.
    You can't have both fish and bear's paw — you must make a choice.

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.

兼jiānboth at once
得déobtain

兼 adds both at once, and 得 means to obtain.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 兼 pictures a hand holding two grain stalks, showing two things together.

Open 兼 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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