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更胜一筹 (gèng shèng yì chóu) — even better; superior; to be one notch above

Definition

A formal idiom meaning 'to be a notch better' in a comparison — stronger and more literary than the plain 更 or 更好, used to single out one side as superior.

idiom
even bettersuperiorto be one notch above

Examples

  • 更胜一筹。
    Tā de huà jì bǐ yì bān rén gèng shèng yì chóu.
    His painting skills are even better than the average person.
  • ，更胜一筹。
    Zài sān jiā hòu xuǎn gōng sī zhōng, zhè jiā gōng sī de bào jià gèng shèng yì chóu.
    Among the three candidate companies, this company's quote is even better.
  • ，更胜一筹。
    Yǔ shàng cì de bǎn běn xiāng bǐ, xīn bǎn běn gèng shèng yì chóu.
    Compared to the previous version, the new version is even better.

Origin

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
攴攴pūhand holding a whip; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
𰀒
𰀒𰀒更gēng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form showed two chariots, 𰀒; 攴, a hand holding a whip, was added to show action, and one chariot part was dropped. The remaining part changed into the shape seen in 更.

Open 更 →

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng胜shèng
Same sound today

The simplified 胜 changes the traditional 勝 by replacing part of its sound side with 生; the left 肉 relates to meat.

Open 胜 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 籌; 筹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
壽
壽shòu籌chóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 籌 has 竹 (bamboo) on top and 壽 below as the sound part; the simplified 筹 is a later shorthand.

Open 筹 →
Appears in
Comparison & DegreeIdioms & Set Phrases

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