称 (chèn): to fit; to match; to suit

Meanings

1 to fit; to match; to suit
2 to be in proportion with

Characters

Same glyph as chēng — grain radical 禾 + 尔. The fit/match sense diverges in tone: chèn (4th tone) means one thing matches another in size, role, or proportion, as if balanced on a scale.

Examples

这件衣服很称你的身材。

Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn chèn nǐ de shēncái.

This outfit really suits your figure.

他很称职，工作做得很好。

Tā hěn chènzhí, gōngzuò zuò de hěn hǎo.

He's well-suited to the job and performs it very well.

Tips

usage

The chèn reading shows up in 称职 (fit for the job), 对称 (symmetrical), 相称 (to match), 匀称 (well-proportioned), and 称心 / 称心如意 (satisfactory). Core idea: one thing matching another in size, role, or proportion.

mistakes

Don't pronounce 称职 or 对称 with chēng — the fit/match sense is always chèn (4th tone). The chēng reading (1st tone) is for calling, stating, and weighing.

Components

radical

禾 hé

grain; ripe grain stalk

Left grain radical — picturing a stalk of ripe grain bending under its weight. Anchors 称 in the original sense of weighing grain on a balance. From weighing came naming (saying the weight) and praising (saying highly of). Same grain family: 秋 (autumn), 种 (seed), 租 (rent), 私 (private).

phonetic

尔 ěr

you (here phonetic)

Right 尔 supplies a residual phonetic value (ěr to chēng/chèn through old initial drift). The traditional 稱 had a fuller phonetic 爯; the simplified 称 substitutes 尔 as a graphic shortcut. Same phonetic shortcut in: 你 (you).