精明

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 这位商人非常精明。▶ —
   This merchant is very shrewd.
2. 她精明能干,把生意打理得很好。▶ —
   She is shrewd and capable, running the business well.

Collocations

Mnemonic

精 jīng "refined, precise" + 明 míng "bright, clear": precise and clear-sighted, i.e. shrewd, astute, calculating. Korean rarely uses 精明; it renders this as "shrewd, sharp". Clear-sighted about one’s own interest (especially in business). Unlike 机智 (quick wit, positive), 精明 leans toward calculating cleverness. 精打细算 means to budget carefully.

Related

Quick check

1. What is the tone of 精明 compared with 机智?

   • calculating, sharp about self-interest
   • purely witty
   • foolish
   • lazy