有起色 (yǒu qǐ sè) — to show signs of improvement, to be picking up

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'show signs of improvement' — used for a situation, performance, or condition turning better, often with 一点 or 开始. Literally: 有 'have' + 起色 'signs of getting better'.

verb
to show signs of improvementto be picking up

Examples

  • 有起色。
    Tā de bìng qíng zuì jìn yǒu qǐ sè le.
    His condition has recently shown signs of improvement.
  • 。
    Gōng sī yè jì zhōng yú yǒu le yì diǎn qǐ sè.
    The company's performance has finally shown a little improvement.
  • ，有起色。
    Jīng guò gǎi gé, jīng jì kāi shǐ yǒu qǐ sè.
    After reforms, the economy began to show signs of improvement.

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
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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

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

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →

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