准绳 (zhǔn shéng) — (literal) marking line (for carpenters); (figurative) criterion, yardstick, standard

Definition

Literally the carpenter's marking line, used figuratively for a 'criterion' or 'yardstick' by which something is judged. Almost always appears in abstract, written contexts (e.g. 法律是社会的准绳), not everyday speech.

noun
(literal) marking line (for carpenters)(figurative) criterionyardstickstandard

Examples

  • 准绳。
    Fǎ lǜ shì shè huì de zhǔn shéng.
    Law is the yardstick of society.
  • 准绳。
    Mù jiàng yòng zhǔn shéng huà zhí xiàn.
    The carpenter uses a marking line to draw straight lines.
  • 准绳。
    Wǒ men bù néng yòng tóng yí gè zhǔn shéng lái héng liáng suǒ yǒu rén.
    We cannot use the same yardstick to measure everyone.

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.

准zhǔnlevel
绳shéngline

准 means level or standard and 绳 means line, together giving a marking line and a criterion.

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 準; 准 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
隼
隼sǔn準zhǔn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 準, not 准, pairs 水 (water) with 隼 as a sound part; the evidence describes it as 'water level'.

Open 准 →

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 繩; 绳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
黽
黽mǐn繩shéng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繩 is built from 糸, the rope/string part, and 黽, the sound part.

Open 绳 →

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