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有点 (yǒu diǎn) — a little, somewhat (degree adverb placed before adjectives and verbs)

Definition

A degree adverb softening an adjective or verb, meaning 'a little / somewhat' (e.g. 有点累 'a bit tired'). Tone is mild, often hinting at something slightly off or negative.

adverb
a littlesomewhat (degree adverb placed before adjectives and verbs)

Examples

  • 有点，？
    Zhè dào cài yǒu diǎn là, nǐ chī dé guàn ma?
    This dish is a little spicy — can you handle it?
  • 有点。
    Tā jīn tiān kàn qǐ lái yǒu diǎn lèi.
    He looks a bit tired today.
  • 有点。
    Wǒ yǒu diǎn hòu huǐ méi yǒu zǎo diǎn chū fā.
    I kind of regret not leaving earlier.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

有yǒuhave
点diǎnpoint/a little

有 suggests having, and 点 a small amount, giving a little.

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

Grammar

Appears in
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