(cōng ming) - clever, smart, intelligent in Mandarin

cōngming

Traditional: 聰明

HSK 3

#717 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

clever, smart, intelligent

Word origin

The word 聪明 combines 聪 'acute of hearing, clever' with 明 'bright, clear'. 聪 has 耳 (ear) as its meaning element; 明 joins 日 (sun) and 月 (moon) to convey brightness. Together they describe a quick, perceptive mind.

Origin: compound
Root: 聪 (cōng, sharp-eared: 耳 ear + 总 phonetic) + 明 (míng, bright: 日 sun + 月 moon)

Stroke order

聪

明

Examples

。

He is a clever child.

，。

She is very smart and learns quickly.

。

Intelligent people know how to adapt.

。

This child is very intelligent.

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Mandarin · Free printables

聪明: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "聪明" (clever, smart, intelligent): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

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This word is part of lesson 15.