差点儿 (chà diǎn r) — almost, nearly

Definition

差点儿 means 'almost' (with the implication that the thing didn't quite happen) — more colloquial than 几乎, and emphasizes a narrow miss rather than 差不多 ('about the same').

almostnearly

Examples

  • 差点儿。
    Jīn tiān chà diǎn r xià yǔ le.
    It almost rained today.
  • 差点儿。
    Tā chà diǎn r wàng jì dài yào shi.
    He almost forgot to bring his keys.
  • 差点儿。
    Wǒ chà diǎn r méi gǎn shàng huǒ chē.
    I almost missed the train.

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.

差点almost
差chàshort of点diǎna little
动宾Verb + object
儿érerhua ending

差 means short of and 点 means a little, so 差点 means almost; 儿 gives the erhua form.

Characters in this word

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

  • 來來láiwheat
  • 𠂇𠂇𠂇left hand

差 pairs 來 (wheat) with 𠂇 (left hand), showing wheat rubbed in a hand to remove its hull.

Open 差 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4

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