开小灶 (kāi xiǎo zào) — to give preferential treatment, to favor someone specially (often by offering extra help or resources)

Definition

开小灶 literally means to run a small private stove — i.e. to give someone extra, one-on-one coaching or special treatment behind the scenes. Always implies favoritism or privileged access, not fair, equal help.

verb
to give preferential treatmentto favor someone specially (often by offering extra help or resources)

Examples

  • 开小灶，。
    Lǎo shī duì zhè ge xué shēng kāi xiǎo zào, kè hòu jīng cháng dān dú fǔ dǎo.
    The teacher gave this student special treatment, often tutoring him alone after class.
  • ，。
    Dà jiā dōu jué de lǎo bǎn gěi tā kāi le xiǎo zào, ràng tā shēng dé nà me kuài.
    Everyone felt the boss gave him special favors, letting him get promoted so fast.
  • ，开小灶。
    Zhè cì péi xùn zhǐ yǒu jǐ gè hé xīn yuán gōng néng cān jiā, suàn shì gōng sī kāi xiǎo zào le.
    Only a few core employees can attend this training; it's like the company is giving them special treatment.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

开kāiopen
小灶small private stove
小xiǎosmall灶zàostove
偏正Modifier + head

Opening combines with a small private stove to suggest special extra treatment.

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 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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

  • 八八bāto divide; to separate
  • 丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Open 小 →

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

灶 combines 火 (fire) and 土 (soil), showing a fire built on the earth as a stove.

Open 灶 →

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