程度 (chéng dù) — degree; level; extent

Definition

An abstract noun for 'degree, level, extent' — how much or how far something reaches. 比 范围 ('range/scope of a domain') and 规模 ('scale of an operation'), 程度 measures intensity or quality, not spatial scope.

noun
degreelevelextent

Examples

  • 程度。
    Tā de hàn yǔ chéng dù hěn gāo.
    His Chinese level is very high.
  • 程度。
    Lǎo bǎn duì tā de gōng zuò zhòng shì chéng dù yuè lái yuè gāo.
    The boss's degree of attention to his work is getting higher and higher.
  • 程度。
    Tā xué xí de rèn zhēn chéng dù ràng wǒ hěn gǎn dòng.
    The degree of seriousness in his studying moved me.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

程chéngmeasure
度dùdegree

程度 combines measure and degree to mean level or extent.

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
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng程chéng
Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Open 程 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →
Appears in
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