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几率 (jī lǜ) — probability, chance

Definition

几率 (jīlǜ) means 'probability, chance' in a quantitative sense — how likely an event is, usually expressed as a number or fraction. More technical/precise than the everyday 可能性, which can also mean general 'possibility' in non-numerical contexts.

noun
probabilitychance

Examples

  • 几率。
    Zhè ge shì jiàn de jī lǜ fēi cháng dī.
    The probability of this event is very low.
  • 几率。
    Kē xué jiā jì suàn le chéng gōng de jī lǜ.
    The scientists calculated the probability of success.
  • 几率。
    Zhòng jiǎng de jī lǜ zhǐ yǒu wàn fēn zhī yī.
    The chance of winning the lottery is only one in ten thousand.

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.

几jǐhow many
率lǜrate

几率 joins 几 (how many) and 率 (rate) to express probability.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 幾; 几 is its simplified writing.

  • 𢆶𢆶𢆶silk threads; little things
  • 戍戍shùto guard against

The traditional form 幾 puts 𢆶 (silk threads; little things) and 戍 (to guard against) together to show watching over the fine details; the simplified 几 is a later abbreviation.

Open 几 →

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

率 was drawn as a bird-catching net, with a stick above and below. In the form described, the lower horizontal stroke is missing, so the whole shape represents a rope.

Open 率 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsMath

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