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聚精会神 (jù jīng huì shén) — to be completely focused; to concentrate one's attention (idiom)

Definition

A chengyu meaning fully focused, with attention gathered in one place. 一心一意 emphasizes single-minded devotion or loyalty, while 聚精会神 emphasizes mental concentration on a task.

phrase
to be completely focusedto concentrate one's attention (idiom)

Examples

  • 聚精会神，。
    Tā jù jīng huì shén dì kàn shū, lián wǒ jiào tā dōu méi tīng jiàn.
    He was reading with such concentration that he didn't even hear me call him.
  • ，聚精会神。
    Kǎo shì de shí hou, měi gè xué shēng dōu jù jīng huì shén.
    During the exam, every student concentrated fully.
  • 聚精会神。
    Zhè dào tí xū yào nǐ jù jīng huì shén cái néng zuò chū lái.
    This problem requires you to concentrate to solve it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

聚精gather attention
聚jùgather精jīngattention
动宾Verb + object
会神focus spirit
会huìfocus神shénspirit
动宾Verb + object

聚精 (gather attention) and 会神 (focus spirit) are parallel actions describing complete concentration.

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
乑乑yínthree men
Sound part声符shēngfú
取
取qǔ聚jù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

聚 is built from 取, which gives the sound, and 乑, drawn as three men, to show people coming together.

Open 聚 →

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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