精彩绝伦 (jīng cǎi jué lún) — unmatched brilliance; extremely wonderful; supe…

Definition

An emphatic chengyu meaning 'unmatched in brilliance' — stronger than 精彩 alone ('wonderful'). Used for performances, works, or feats with no equal.

idiom

unmatched brillianceextremely wonderfulsuperb

Examples

精彩绝伦，。
Tā de biǎo yǎn zhēn shì jīng cǎi jué lún, yíng dé le quán chǎng hè cǎi.
His performance was truly superb, winning applause from the entire audience.
精彩绝伦，。
Zhè bù diàn yǐng de shì jué xiào guǒ jīng cǎi jué lún, lìng rén nán yǐ zhì xìn.
The visual effects of this film are unmatched, making it hard to believe.
精彩绝伦，。
Zhè chǎng bǐ sài shuāng fāng dōu fā huī dé jīng cǎi jué lún, nán fēn gāo xià.
Both sides played superbly in this match, making it hard to tell who was better.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

精彩brilliant

精jīngrefined彩cǎisplendor

联合Coordinate

绝伦matchless

绝juésurpass伦lúnpeer

动宾Verb + object

精彩 and 绝伦 together mean splendid and beyond comparison.

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.

米青精

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng精jīng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

精 pairs 米 (rice) with 青, which gives the sound; the character originally meant polished rice.

Open 精 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

采彡彩

Meaning part形符xíngfú

彡彡shān

Sound part声符shēngfú

采

采cǎi彩cǎi

Same sound today

彩 puts 采, which gives the sound, next to 彡, the three-stroke mark that carries the meaning.

Open 彩 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絕; 绝 is its simplified writing.

刀幺絕

刀刀dāoknife
幺幺yāosilk

In the traditional form 絕, 刀 (knife) and 幺 (silk) show a knife cutting silk threads. The simplified 绝 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original picture.

Open 绝 →

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 倫; 伦 is its simplified writing.

人侖倫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

人人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

侖

侖lún倫lún

Same sound today

The traditional form 倫 uses 人 to show people and 侖 to give its sound; the simplified 伦 is a later shorthand.

Open 伦 →