精英 (jīng yīng) — elite (the best or most talented members of a group or society)

Definition

精英 refers to people — the top, most capable members of a group or society. Unlike 精华 or 精髓 (the best part of a thing), 精英 is always about persons, like '社会精英' (social elites).

noun
elite (the best or most talented members of a group or society)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 精英。
    Tā shì zhè ge lǐng yù de jīng yīng.
    He is an elite in this field.
  • 精英。
    Nà suǒ dà xué péi yǎng le hěn duō shè huì jīng yīng.
    That university has cultivated many social elites.
  • 精英。
    Gōng sī zhī zhāo pìn jīng yīng rén cái.
    The company only recruits elite talent.

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.

精jīngessence
英yīngoutstanding

「精」 and 「英」 both refer to the best part, together meaning elite members.

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
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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
央
央yāng英yīng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

英 pairs 艹 (grass) with 央, which gives the sound.

Open 英 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Social Roles & Status

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