精打细算 (jīngdǎxìsuàn) · to budget carefully

精打细算 (jīngdǎxìsuàn) means “to budget carefully; to plan meticulously”. It is written with 4 characters: 精 (essence) + 打 (to play (ball)) + 细 (thin) + 算 (to calculate). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).

How 精打细算 is built

The characters

精 jīng · essence

What 精 is made of

米mǐ — uncooked rice
- 丷ha — kwukyel
  - 丶 — dot
- 木mù — tree
  - 十 — ten
  - 八bā — eight
青qīng — nature's color
- 龶 — top part
- 月yuè — moon; month
  - 冂 — frame
  - 二 — two strokes

Origin hint: 米 gives the meaning, 青 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

打 dǎ · to play (ball)

What 打 is made of

扌shǒu — hand
- 二 — two strokes
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 亅 — hook
丁dīng — male adult

Origin hint: 扌 gives the meaning, 丁 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

细 xì · thin

What 细 is made of

纟sī — silk
- 一 — horizontal stroke
田tián — field
- 冂 — frame
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
  - 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: 纟 gives the meaning, 田 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

算 suàn · to calculate

What 算 is made of

⺮zhú — bamboo
具jù — tool
- 目mù — eye
  - 口kǒu — mouth
  - 二 — two strokes
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 八bā — eight

Origin hint: A bamboo ⺮ abacus 具 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

妈妈过日子很会精打细算。Māma guòrìzi hěn huì jīngdǎxìsuàn.Mom is very good at budgeting carefully.

钱不多，我们得精打细算。Qián bù duō, wǒmen děi jīngdǎxìsuàn.We don't have much money, so we must budget carefully.

Questions about 精打细算

What does 精打细算 mean?

精打细算 (jīngdǎxìsuàn) means “to budget carefully; to plan meticulously”.

How do you pronounce 精打细算?

精打细算 is pronounced jīngdǎxìsuàn.

Which HSK level is 精打细算?

精打细算 is in Old HSK 6.

Related words

Learn 精打细算 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 99: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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