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正点 (zhèng diǎn) — on schedule, punctual; (slang) great, awesome, spot-on

Definition

A two-meaning colloquial word: the literal sense means 'on schedule, on time' (the train arrived on time); as slang it means 'great, awesome, spot-on' (her outfit looks great today).

noun
on schedulepunctual(slang) greatawesomespot-on

Examples

  • 正点。
    Huǒ chē zhèng diǎn dào dá le.
    The train arrived on schedule.
  • 正点。
    Jīn tiān de huì yì zhèng diǎn kāi shǐ le.
    Today's meeting started on schedule.
  • ！
    Tā jīn tiān chuān dé zhēn zhèng diǎn!
    She looks really great today!

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

正zhèngexact
点diǎntime point

正点 combines 正 meaning exact and 点 meaning time point to mean exactly on schedule.

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
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →

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 →
Appears in
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