恰如其分
恰如其分 (qià rú qí fèn) literally means “just as its portion requires” and expresses “proportionate to what it merits”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: qia ru qi fen, qia ru qi fen,恰如其分 meaning, 恰如其分 in english
Proportionate to what it merits
Pronunciation: qià rú qí fèn Literal meaning: Just as its portion requires
Origin & Usage
Exactly (恰) as (如) its own (其) measure (分) requires. 分 is a portion allotted, what something is due, so the phrase is about matching rather than about moderation: the response is neither too much nor too little for this particular case, and what counts as right is set by the case and not by a rule. Praise, criticism, a sentence, a translation: it is close to the highest thing that can be said of a judgement call, because it concedes there was a scale and grants that the speaker found the point on it.
Examples
English: "Her response was perfectly appropriate for the situation."
Chinese: 她的回应恰如其分，非常得体。
Related Chinese Idioms
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To disregard; put aside consideration of
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恰到好处
qià dào hǎo chù
Stopped at exactly the right point
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一如既往
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As always; unchanged
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Self-imposed restrictions; limiting oneself
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妙笔生花
miào bǐ shēng huā
Exceptional literary or artistic talent
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Having deep roots and long history
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不痛不痒
bù tòng bù yǎng
Ineffective and inconsequential
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泰然自若
tài rán zì ruò
Maintain perfect composure under pressure
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 恰如其分 mean in English?
恰如其分 (qià rú qí fèn) literally translates to “Just as its portion requires” and is used to express “Proportionate to what it merits”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 恰如其分 used?
Situation: Her response was perfectly appropriate for the situation.
What is the pinyin for 恰如其分?
The pinyin pronunciation for 恰如其分 is “qià rú qí fèn”.