算不得 (suàn bù dé) — cannot be considered as, does not count as

Definition

A verb phrase meaning 'cannot be counted as / does not qualify as', used to deny that someone or something deserves a particular label. Pattern: 算不得 + Noun (e.g. 算不得好朋友).

verb
cannot be considered asdoes not count as

Examples

  • 算不得，。
    Zhè diǎn qián suàn bù dé shén me, bú yòng fàng zài xīn shàng.
    This little bit of money doesn't count as anything; no need to worry about it.
  • ，算不得。
    Tā zuò rén méi yǒu chéng xìn, suàn bù dé yí gè hǎo péng you.
    He has no integrity; he can't be considered a good friend.
  • ，算不得。
    Yè yú ài hào ér yǐ, suàn bù dé shén me zhuān jiā.
    It's just a hobby; you can't count me as any kind of expert.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

Open 算 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

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