称得上 (chèn) — deserve to be called, be worthy of being called

Definition

称得上的 pinyin is chēng, not chèn — a common pitfall. It pairs with an adjective or noun to mean the subject merits that label (e.g. 称得上专业 = 'can rightly be called professional'), implying earned, defensible status.

verb
deserve to be calledbe worthy of being called

Examples

  • 称得上
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de cài chèn hǎo chī.
    The food at this restaurant can be called delicious.
  • 称得上
    Tā de gē shēng chèn zhuān yè.
    Her singing can be called professional.
  • 称得上
    Tā de zhōng wén shuǐ píng chèn liú lì.
    His Chinese level can be called fluent.
Appears in

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