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斟酌 (zhēn zhuó) — to consider carefully, to deliberate

Definition

斟酌 means weighing each option carefully before deciding — used for words, wording, or details, more so than broad strategy (权衡) or policy (商讨). Written/formal register.

verb
to consider carefullyto deliberate

Examples

  • 斟酌。
    Zhè ge wèn tí xū yào zǐ xì zhēn zhuó yí xià.
    This problem needs careful consideration.
  • 斟酌，。
    Tā zhēn zhuó le hěn jiǔ, cái zuò chū jué dìng.
    He deliberated for a long time before making a decision.
  • ，斟酌。
    Xiě wén zhāng shí, měi gè cí dōu yào fǎn fù zhēn zhuó.
    When writing an article, every word must be carefully weighed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

斟zhēnpour wine
酌zhuótaste wine

斟 and 酌 both describe handling wine, together extending to careful weighing of options.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斗斗dòudipper; cup
Sound part声符shēngfú
甚
甚shèn斟zhēn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

斟 combines 斗, a dipper or cup for pouring, with 甚, which gives the sound.

Open 斟 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo酌zhuó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酌 is built from 酉 and 勺, where 酉 relates to its meaning and 勺 supplies the sound.

Open 酌 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Thinking & Cognition

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