成绩
chéngjì
In Chinese, the English phrase "grades" is translated as 成绩 (chéngjì).
成绩 refers to the marks or scores a student receives for a course or a test. When you want to talk about improving your grades, the standard way to express this is by using the verb 提高 (tígāo), forming the collocation 提高成绩.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 成绩 is composed of the characters 成 (to become or achieve) and 绩 (achievement or merit).
Which one should you use?
While 成绩 refers to overall academic performance or grades, the term 分数 is used specifically to refer to the numerical score or points received on a single test.
How do you pronounce it?
chéngjì
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 级别 (jíbié), which means level or rank, to refer to academic grades. Instead, use 成绩.
Did you know?
- The character 绩 in 成绩 originally depicted silk being woven on a loom, linking the concept of 'achievement' to the tangible result of hard labor.
- Students often use the slang term 学霸 (xuébà), meaning 'study overlord', to describe peers who consistently get the highest 成绩.
- In Chinese culture, the phrase 成绩单 ('grade sheet') can be a source of extreme family tension, as grades are often viewed as a reflection of a child's filial piety and effort.
Examples in context
- 你成绩比我好。Your grades are better than mine.This sentence is useful for comparing grades.Tatoeba #9972927 by GlossaMatik, translation #3831451 by CK
- 我希望可以更紧张我的成绩，但是似乎在我生命的某一刻，我决定它将不再那么重要了。I wish I could care more about my grades but it seems that, at a certain point of my life, I decided they wouldn't be so important anymore.This sentence shows a personal reflection on the importance of grades.Tatoeba #334698 by fucongcong, translation #1502 by AlanF_US
- 我今天收到了我的考试成绩。I received my exam grades today.
- 请给我查一下我的中文课分数。Please check my Chinese class grades.
- 他的数学成绩很优秀。Tā de shùxué chéngjì hěn yōuxiù.His math grades are excellent.
Example conversation
Two classmates are talking about their recent test results.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，你的成绩怎么样？Yǔtíng, nǐ de chéngjì zěnmeyàng?Yuting, how are your grades?
- 雨婷 Yuting我觉得还可以，你呢？Wǒ juéde hái kěyǐ, nǐ ne?I think they're okay, how about you?
- 伟 Wei我的成绩很糟糕。Wǒ de chéngjì hěn zāogāo.My grades are terrible.
- 雨婷 Yuting没关系，下次努力就好。Méi guānxì, xià cì nǔlì jiù hǎo.It's okay, just work hard next time.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
