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顺差 (shùn chā) — trade surplus; fiscal surplus

Definition

顺差 is a formal economics term for a 'surplus' — exports exceeding imports (贸易顺差) or revenue exceeding spending (财政顺差). Unlike 剩余 or 余额, it refers to the gap itself, not leftover goods or an account balance.

noun
trade surplusfiscal surplus

Examples

  • 顺差。
    Qù nián zhōng guó de mào yì shùn chā dá dào le xīn gāo.
    Last year, China's trade surplus reached a new high.
  • 顺差。
    Zhèng fǔ tōng guò tiáo zhěng zhèng cè lái jiǎn shǎo cái zhèng shùn chā.
    The government reduces the fiscal surplus by adjusting policies.
  • 顺差。
    Cháng qī mào yì shùn chā kě néng dǎo zhì mào yì mó cā.
    A long-term trade surplus may lead to trade friction.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

顺shùnfavorable
差chàbalance

「顺」 and 「差」 describe a favorable balance or surplus.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

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

  • 來來láiwheat
  • 𠂇𠂇𠂇left hand

差 pairs 來 (wheat) with 𠂇 (left hand), showing wheat rubbed in a hand to remove its hull.

Open 差 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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