(jīng jì) - economy, economic in Mandarin
jīngjìTraditional: 經濟
Translation
economy, economic
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Word origin
Shortened from the classical phrase 经世济民 (jīng shì jì mín), to order the world and aid the people. Japanese scholars reused it in the nineteenth century to translate the Western term economy, and the new sense came back into Chinese.
- Origin
- classical Chinese via Japanese
- Root
- 经世济民 (jīng shì jì mín, to order the world and aid the people)
Stroke order
经
济
Examples
。
The economy is not doing very well this year.
。
He studies economics at university.
。
Economic problems are not easy to solve.
。
This country's economy is developing fast.
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Going by train is more economical than flying.
经济 (jīng jì) is the economy, and also the adjective economic. 中国经济 is the Chinese economy, 经济问题 an economic problem, 经济学 the academic subject.
The second sense catches people out: as a predicate adjective it means economical, good value, cheap for what you get. 这样比较经济 is "that works out cheaper", not a comment on national output. Airlines use it too, which is why economy class is 经济舱.
Worth knowing that the word is a round trip. The characters are old Chinese, the modern meaning was fitted to them in Meiji Japan to translate a European idea, and Chinese then borrowed its own phrase back with the new sense attached. A good many nineteenth-century abstractions arrived that way.
Where this fits
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Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "经济" (economy, economic): 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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Start your free week (no card)This word is taught in chapter 27, lesson 1: 经济, 出事, 悲伤 and 7 more words.