精打细算
- Literal
- reckon finely, count minutely
- Figurative
- To budget carefully, managing money or resources in detail so that nothing goes to waste; usually said approvingly.
Where does 精打细算 come from?
It does not come from a specific anecdote; it is an everyday expression. It can be read as the word 打算, "to calculate, to plan," split in two, with an adjective in front of each half: 精, "fine, precise," and 细, "meticulous." The result, "reckon finely and count minutely," describes someone who keeps the accounts with care. It is usually praise for good management, at home or in a business; to fault someone for haggling over every last cent, people tend to say 斤斤计较 instead.
How is 精打细算 used? Two examples
- 为了攒钱买房，他们俩每个月都精打细算。
To save up for a home, the two of them budget carefully every month.
- 预算不多，但她精打细算，把活动办得很体面。
The budget was tight, but she made every yuan count and put on a very respectable event.
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