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目标 (mù biāo) — goal; target; objective

Definition

目标 is a concrete goal you're trying to reach or hit, like a company's target or a personal objective. Compare 目的 (the aim or purpose behind an action) and 志向 (a long-term life ambition).

noun
goaltargetobjective
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 目标。
    Gōng sī de mù biāo shì tí gāo chǎn pǐn zhì liàng.
    The company's goal is to improve product quality.
  • 目标。
    Wǒ men shè dìng le yí gè míng què de mù biāo.
    We set a clear target.
  • ，目标。
    Jīng guò nǔ lì, tā zhōng yú dá dào le zì jǐ de mù biāo.
    After hard work, he finally achieved his objective.

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.

目mùeye
标biāomark

“目” is the eye and “标” is a mark, together naming the mark that the eye aims at.

Characters in this word

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

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.

Open 目 →

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 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào標biāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

Open 标 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 51000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsAbstract Concepts2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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