====== jīng dǎ xì suàn: 精打细算 - Meticulous Planning, Careful Calculation ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** jing da xi suan, 精打细算, Chinese idiom for saving money, frugal in Chinese, careful calculation, meticulous planning, Chinese chengyu, budgeting in Chinese, thrifty, resourcefulness
  * **Summary:** Learn the Chinese idiom **精打细算 (jīng dǎ xì suàn)**, a term that goes beyond just being "frugal." This chengyu describes the virtue of meticulous planning and careful calculation, especially with money and resources. Discover how this concept of being thrifty and resourceful is deeply valued in Chinese culture and how to use it in everyday conversation, from managing a household budget to running a business.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jīng dǎ xì suàn
  * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (四字成语) - can function as a verb or adjective.
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 6
  * **Concise Definition:** To calculate meticulously and budget carefully; to be very careful with money and resources.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **精打细算** is the art of being smart and resourceful. It's not about being cheap or stingy, but about carefully thinking through how to use what you have to get the most value. Imagine someone planning meals for a week to use every ingredient, or finding the best combination of coupons and sales to buy something. This is a highly praised quality, suggesting intelligence, prudence, and responsibility.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **精 (jīng):** Precise, meticulous, refined.
  * **打 (dǎ):** Here, it doesn't mean "to hit." In this context, it means "to figure" or "to reckon," as in using an abacus (打算盘, dǎ suànpán).
  * **细 (xì):** Fine, detailed, small.
  * **算 (suàn):** To calculate, to compute.
The characters literally combine to mean "precisely figure, finely calculate." This creates a vivid image of someone carefully considering every single detail before making a decision, ensuring no resource is wasted.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
**精打细算** is more than a financial strategy; it's a cultural virtue deeply rooted in China's history. For centuries, thrift (节俭, jiéjiǎn) was essential for survival in an agrarian society where harvests could be unpredictable. Saving for the future, for family, and for unexpected hardships was not just wise but a moral responsibility.
In Western culture, the closest concept is "being frugal" or "budgeting." However, these terms can sometimes feel like a lifestyle choice (e.g., minimalism) or a temporary necessity. **精打细算** carries a stronger, more consistently positive weight. It is seen as a sign of a good head on one's shoulders, a cornerstone of a well-managed household (勤俭持家, qínjiǎn chíjiā), and a mark of a responsible person.
It stands in stark contrast to being "stingy" or "cheap" (小气, xiǎoqì), which is viewed negatively. A person who is **精打细算** will still treat friends to a meal, but they might choose a restaurant with a great promotional deal. A person who is `小气` would avoid treating their friends altogether. The first is smart; the second is ungenerous.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**精打细算** is a common term used in various aspects of modern life.
  * **Daily Conversation:** People use it to praise someone, often a parent or partner, who is good at managing the family's finances. It's a compliment that acknowledges their hard work and intelligence.
  * **Shopping & E-commerce:** With the rise of online shopping festivals like "Double 11" (双十一), **精打细算** has taken on a new life. Netizens share complex strategies for combining coupons, pre-sale deposits, and platform-wide discounts to get the absolute lowest price, a perfect modern example of the idiom.
  * **Business:** In a business context, it refers to careful financial management, efficient resource allocation, and cost control. A startup that is **精打细算** with its venture capital is more likely to be seen as responsible and sustainable.
Its connotation is almost always positive, indicating prudence and resourcefulness.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 她妈妈非常会**精打细算**，每个月都能省下不少钱。
    * Pinyin: Tā māma fēicháng huì **jīng dǎ xì suàn**, měi ge yuè dōu néng shěng xià bù shǎo qián.
    * English: Her mother is excellent at being meticulous with money, she manages to save quite a bit every month.
    * Analysis: This is a classic, positive use, praising a mother for her skill in managing the household budget. "会 (huì)" here means "to be good at."
  * **Example 2:**
    * 我们刚买了房子，现在必须**精打细算**地过日子。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen gāng mǎi le fángzi, xiànzài bìxū **jīng dǎ xì suàn** de guò rìzi.
    * English: We just bought a house, so now we must live frugally.
    * Analysis: Here, it's used to describe a necessary change in lifestyle due to a large expense. The particle `地 (de)` turns the idiom into an adverb modifying "live" (过日子).
  * **Example 3:**
    * 这次旅行的预算很有限，我们得**精打细算**才行。
    * Pinyin: Zhè cì lǚxíng de yùsuàn hěn yǒuxiàn, wǒmen děi **jīng dǎ xì suàn** cái xíng.
    * English: The budget for this trip is very limited, so we need to plan everything meticulously.
    * Analysis: This shows the term being applied to a specific project (a trip) rather than a whole lifestyle.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 作为一家初创公司，在资源利用上**精打细算**是成功的关键。
    * Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī jiā chūchuàng gōngsī, zài zīyuán lìyòng shàng **jīng dǎ xì suàn** shì chénggōng de guānjiàn.
    * English: As a startup, being meticulous in resource utilization is the key to success.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates its use in a formal business context. It's about more than just money—it includes time, manpower, and other resources.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 他虽然很有钱，但生活上依然很**精打细算**。
    * Pinyin: Tā suīrán hěn yǒu qián, dàn shēnghuó shàng yīrán hěn **jīng dǎ xì suàn**.
    * English: Although he is very rich, he is still very frugal in his daily life.
    * Analysis: This sentence highlights that **精打细算** is a personal virtue or habit, not necessarily dictated by financial need.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 为了在双十一买到最便宜的东西，她**精打细算**了好几天。
    * Pinyin: Wèile zài Shuāng Shíyī mǎi dào zuì piányi de dōngxi, tā **jīng dǎ xì suàn** le hǎo jǐ tiān.
    * English: In order to buy the cheapest things during the Double 11 shopping festival, she spent several days planning meticulously.
    * Analysis: A very modern application of the idiom, linked to the culture of online shopping in China.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 奶奶总是教导我们要**精打细算**，不能浪费。
    * Pinyin: Nǎinai zǒngshì jiàodǎo wǒmen yào **jīng dǎ xì suàn**, bù néng làngfèi.
    * English: Grandma always taught us that we need to be careful with our spending and not be wasteful.
    * Analysis: This connects the idiom to intergenerational values and the concept of avoiding waste (浪费, làngfèi).
  * **Example 8:**
    * 这份报告里的每一笔开销都经过了我们的**精打细算**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàogào lǐ de měi yī bǐ kāixiāo dōu jīngguò le wǒmen de **jīng dǎ xì suàn**.
    * English: Every expense in this report has gone through our meticulous calculation.
    * Analysis: Here, the idiom functions as a noun ("meticulous calculation"). This shows its grammatical flexibility.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 他**精打细算**地规划了公司的年度预算。
    * Pinyin: Tā **jīng dǎ xì suàn** de guīhuà le gōngsī de niándù yùsuàn.
    * English: He meticulously planned the company's annual budget.
    * Analysis: Similar to example 2, it's used as an adverb to describe how an action (planning) was performed.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 在资源短缺的时代，**精打细算**是一种生存智慧。
    * Pinyin: Zài zīyuán duǎnquē de shídài, **jīng dǎ xì suàn** shì yī zhǒng shēngcún zhìhuì.
    * English: In an era of scarce resources, meticulous planning is a form of survival wisdom.
    * Analysis: This sentence elevates the concept to a philosophical level, framing it as a type of wisdom (智慧, zhìhuì).
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Don't confuse it with "stingy" or "cheap."** This is the most common mistake for learners. **精打细算** is about being smart and efficient. **小气 (xiǎoqì)** or **抠门 (kōumén)** means being ungenerous and unwilling to spend money, even when you should.
    * **Incorrect:** `他太精打细算了，从来不请客。(Tā tài jīng dǎ xì suàn le, cónglái bù qǐngkè.)` - He's too meticulous, he never treats anyone to a meal.
    * **Why it's wrong:** This implies a negative character flaw. The correct word would be `他太小气了 (Tā tài xiǎoqì le)`.
    * **Correct use:** `他很精打细算，请客总能找到性价比最高的餐厅。(Tā hěn jīng dǎ xì suàn, qǐngkè zǒng néng zhǎodào xìngjiàbǐ zuì gāo de cāntīng.)` - He's very resourceful; when he treats people, he can always find the restaurant with the best value for money.
  * **It's not the same as the negative English "calculating."** In English, calling someone "calculating" can imply they are cold, selfish, and manipulative. **精打细算** does not have this negative connotation. It refers to practical intelligence, not emotional scheming.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[节俭]] (jiéjiǎn) - Frugal, thrifty. A core virtue that **精打细算** is the practical application of.
  * [[勤俭持家]] (qínjiǎn chíjiā) - To be diligent and frugal in managing a household. A traditional ideal where **精打细算** is a key skill.
  * [[量入为出]] (liàng rù wéi chū) - To live within one's means (lit. "measure income to determine expenditure"). A related idiom that describes the principle behind **精打细算**.
  * [[开源节流]] (kāi yuán jié liú) - To increase income and reduce expenditure. A broader financial strategy; **精打细算** is the core of the "节流" (reducing expenditure) part.
  * [[省钱]] (shěng qián) - To save money. This is the direct goal and result of being **精打细算**.
  * [[斤斤计较]] (jīnjīnjìjiào) - To haggle over every last gram; to be petty and overly calculating in a negative sense. This is what **精打细算** can become if taken to a negative extreme.
  * [[小气]] (xiǎoqì) - Stingy; cheap. An antonym in connotation, describing an unwillingness to spend, whereas **精打细算** describes the wisdom in spending.