Meaning
准 is a versatile character that primarily means 'accurate' or 'exact' when describing precision, and 'to allow' or 'to permit' when used as a verb. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'certainly' or 'definitely'. The character appears in many compound words related to standards, permissions, and accuracy.
Usage
As an adjective, 准 often appears in compounds like 准确 (accurate) or 标准 (standard). As a verb meaning 'to permit', it's somewhat formal and more common in written Chinese or official contexts. In colloquial speech, 准 can be used alone to mean 'definitely' or 'for sure', though this usage is more regional.
Examples
- 01你说得很准。.What you said is very accurate.
- 02这里不准吸烟。.Smoking is not allowed here.
Common collocations
- 准时on time, punctual
- 不准not allowed, forbidden
- 准许to permit, to allow
- 瞄准to aim at
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 準 originally depicted a water level (水) used as a standard for measurement, combined with 隹 (bird), suggesting the idea of establishing a standard or criterion.