聪明 (cōngmíng) — intelligent; clever; smart
HSK 3 | adjective | having a sharp and quick mind
聪明 (cōngmíng)
聪明 describes someone with a quick, sharp mind who can understand and learn things easily.
Meanings
- [adj] intelligent; clever; smart; bright-minded
Example Sentences
这个孩子非常聪明，学什么都很快。 Zhège háizi fēicháng cōngmíng, xué shénme dōu hěn kuài. This child is very smart and learns everything quickly.
聪明的人知道什么时候该说话。 Cōngmíng de rén zhīdào shénme shíhou gāi shuōhuà. A clever person knows when to speak.
她用了一个聪明的办法解决了问题。 Tā yòng le yī gè cōngmíng de bànfǎ jiějué le wèntí. She used a clever method to solve the problem.
他很聪明，但也很努力。 Tā hěn cōngmíng, dàn yě hěn nǔlì. He is very intelligent but also works very hard.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 非常聪明 | very intelligent |
| 聪明的办法 | a clever method |
| 聪明伶俐 | quick and clever |
| 聪明反被聪明误 | outsmarting oneself |
Memory Hook
聪 contains the character for "ear" (耳), suggesting sharp hearing and perception. 明 means "bright." A clever person is bright and perceptive.