才干 (cái gàn) — ability; competence | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

才干 (cáigàn) means practical ability built up through work — a learned skill, not raw talent. Contrast with 才能 (innate talent/capacity) and 能力 (general ability).

noun

abilitycompetence

Examples

才干，。
Tā méi yǒu duō shǎo gōng zuò cái gàn, dàn tài dù hěn hǎo.
He doesn't have much work ability, but his attitude is good.
才干。
Tā de wén xué cái gàn ràng rén pèi fú.
Her literary talent is admirable.
，才干。
Tā cóng xiǎo zuò shì jiù hěn tā shi, màn màn liàn chū le yì shēn zhēn cái gàn.
He has been down-to-earth since childhood, and gradually developed real ability.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

干gānability

才 and 干 both refer to ability or talent, together naming competence.

Characters in this word

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

才 originally drew a sharp peg, not a sprout growing from the ground.

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

倝

倝gàn乾gān

Same sound today

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts

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