出息
chū xi HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

这孩子将来很有出息。
Zhè háizi jiānglái hěn yǒu chūxi.
This child has great promise for the future.
他的工作没有出息。
Tā de gōngzuò méiyǒu chūxi.
His job has no prospects.
出息取决于个人努力。
Chūxi qǔjué yú gèrén nǔlì.
Promise depends on personal effort.
他有出息。
Tā yǒu chūxi.
He has promise.
孩子没出息。
Háizi méi chūxi.
The child has no prospects.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 出息 as 'out + breath'—imagine someone with a bright future 'breathing out' success and potential. Alternatively, associate it with the phrase '出人头地' (chū rén tóu dì), meaning 'to stand out among others,' as both convey rising above and achieving something notable.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is commonly used in informal, spoken contexts, especially in conversations about children, students, or young people's futures. It is often used by parents, teachers, or elders to express hope, praise, or concern regarding someone's potential. While it can appear in written Chinese, it is most frequent in everyday speech and carries a colloquial, sometimes slightly dialectal feel (common in Northern Chinese usage).

📖 Grammar Points

出息 is primarily used as a noun and often appears in the structure '有/没 + 出息' (to have/lack prospects). For example, '他有出息' (He has a bright future) or '别没出息' (Don't be unpromising/lack ambition). It can also be modified by adjectives like 大 (big) or 小 (small) to indicate the degree of prospects.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 出息 carries significant social and familial weight, as parents often place high expectations on children to '有出息,' linking it to filial piety and family honor. It reflects a traditional emphasis on education, hard work, and upward mobility. The term can sometimes imply pressure to achieve material or status success, and its absence (没出息) may be used critically or encouragingly.

🔄 Similar Words

出息 is similar to 前途 (qiántú), which also means 'future prospects,' but 出息 is more informal and personal, focusing on an individual's potential and character, while 前途 is more neutral and formal, often referring to broader career or life paths. Another related word is 成就 (chéngjiù), meaning 'achievement,' but this refers to actual accomplishments rather than potential.

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