用劲 (yòng jìn) — to use strength, to exert effort

Definition

Verb-object phrase meaning to exert effort or put in strength. 劲 can also stand alone as a noun ('effort, strength') in 用了很大的劲.

verb
to use strengthto exert effort
Easily confused

Examples

  • 用劲。
    Tā yí yòng jìn jiù bǎ shí tou bān qǐ lái le.
    As soon as he exerted his strength, he lifted the stone.
  • ，。
    Wèi le dǎ kāi zhè shàn mén, wǒ yòng le hěn dà de jìn.
    To open this door, I used a lot of effort.
  • 用劲，。
    Dà jiā zài yòng jìn yí xià, mǎ shàng jiù dào le.
    Everyone, put in a bit more effort — we're almost there.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

用yònguse
劲jìnstrength

The “用” means to use and “劲” means strength, giving the idea of exerting effort.

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.

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Open 用 →

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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