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尖子 (jiān zi) — top-notch person, standout, the best of its kind

Definition

尖子 (jiānzi) means the standout or top performer in a group — a student, recruit, or athlete who is the best of the bunch. Typically used for people, not things.

noun
top-notch personstandoutthe best of its kind
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 尖子，。
    Tā shì bān lǐ de jiān zi, měi cì kǎo shì dōu kǎo dì yī.
    He is the top student in the class and always gets first on exams.
  • 尖子。
    Zhè ge gōng sī zhī zhāo pìn jiān zi.
    This company only recruits top talents.
  • 尖子，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù shì jiān zi, hòu lái kǎo shàng le qīng huá dà xué.
    She has been a standout since childhood and later got into Tsinghua University.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

尖jiānsharp point
子zǐsuffix

尖 gives the sense of a sharp point or top, and 子 completes it as a term for a person, so the word means a standout.

Characters in this word

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

尖 puts 小 (small) above 大 (large), showing the width of an object gradually changing from small to large.

Open 尖 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
People (General)

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