失算 (shī suàn) — to miscalculate; to misjudge

Definition

Literary/formal verb meaning 'to miscalculate' (a plan, prediction, or assessment going wrong). More often written than spoken.

verb
to miscalculateto misjudge

Examples

  • 失算。
    Tā wán quán shī suàn le shì chǎng de xū qiú.
    He completely miscalculated the market demand.
  • 失算。
    Wǒ zǎo jiù liào dào nǐ huì shī suàn.
    I already predicted you would misjudge.
  • 失算，。
    Zhè cì tóu zī shī suàn, sǔn shī bù xiǎo.
    This investment was miscalculated, and the loss was not small.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

失shīlose
算suàncalculation

The sense of 失 as lose combines with 算 as calculation to mean miscalculate.

Characters in this word

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

The shape is explained as a fallen person's footprint surrounded by drops of blood; another reading pairs 手 (hand) and 乙 to show something falling from a hand.

Open 失 →

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

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

Open 算 →

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