松劲 (sōng jìn) — to slack off, to relax one's efforts

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning to let up or relax one's effort mid-task. Used when someone stops pushing hard, e.g. in study or work; often carries a negative nuance (you shouldn't do it).

verb
to slack offto relax one's efforts

Examples

  • ，松劲。
    Bǐ sài hái méi jié shù, wǒ men bù néng sōng jìn.
    The match isn't over yet — we can't slack off.
  • 松劲，。
    Tā gōng zuò yì sōng jìn, jìn dù jiù màn le.
    As soon as he slacks off at work, progress slows down.
  • 松劲，。
    Xué wài yǔ yí dàn sōng le sōng jìn, jiù hěn nán zài jìn bù le.
    Once you relax your efforts in learning a language, it's hard to make progress again.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

松sōngloosen
劲jìneffort

松 means loosen and 劲 means effort, together to slack off.

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng松sōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

松 uses 木 (wood) to show it is a tree, and 公 to give the sound.

Open 松 →

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 勁; 劲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng勁jìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 勁 pairs 力, meaning strength, with 巠, which gives the sound; the simplified 劲 is a shorthand and its parts are not the original ones.

Open 劲 →

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