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水平 (shuǐ píng) — level (of proficiency, achievement, or standard)

Definition

Most common everyday word for someone's 'level' or 'standard' (skill, ability, quality). 水准 is a more formal near-synonym; 等级 is rank/grade (e.g. hotel, military), not ability.

noun
level (of proficiency, achievement, or standard)

Examples

  • 水平。
    Nǐ de zhōng wén shuǐ píng hěn gāo.
    Your Chinese level is very high.
  • 水平。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de guǎn lǐ shuǐ píng bú cuò.
    This company's management level is not bad.
  • 水平。
    Tā de yīng yǔ shuǐ píng bǐ wǒ gāo.
    Her English level is higher than mine.

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.

水shuǐwater
平pínglevel

水 and 平 suggest the flat surface of water, extended to a standard or degree.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →
Appears in
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