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明智之举 (míng zhì zhī jǔ) — a wise move; a sensible act; a judicious decision

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'a wise / sensible move' — used to praise or question a decision as a whole. Written and slightly formal; for daily speech use 明智的决定.

noun
a wise movea sensible acta judicious decision

Examples

  • 明智之举。
    Cí zhí qù lǚ xíng bú suàn shì míng zhì zhī jǔ.
    Quitting your job to travel is not a wise move.
  • ，明智之举。
    Tā xuǎn zé xué xí zhōng wén, zhēn shì míng zhì zhī jǔ.
    His choice to study Chinese is truly a wise move.
  • ，明智之举。
    Zhè ge fāng àn dé dào le dà jiā de rèn kě, què shí shì yí gè míng zhì zhī jǔ.
    This plan got everyone's approval; it's indeed a sensible decision.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

明 combines 日 (sun) and 月 (moon), showing the sun just rising while the moon has not yet set, or two bright objects in the sky, to express brightness.

Open 明 →

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

The early form 智 used 大 (adult), 口 (mouth), and 子 (child): an adult speaking to pass knowledge to a child.

Open 智 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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 舉; 举 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
與
與yǔ舉jǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 舉 pairs 與, which gives the sound, with 手, a hand; the simplified 举 is a later shorthand.

Open 举 →
Appears in
Attitudes & OpinionsIdioms & Set Phrases

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