成熟 (chéngshú)

成熟 means mature or ripe, used to describe things that are fully developed, whether fruit on a tree, a person's character, or a plan or idea that is ready to be implemented.

Meanings

[adjective] mature; ripe; well-developed; ready
[verb] to mature; to ripen; to become fully developed

Example Sentences

苹果成熟了，可以摘了。 Píngguǒ chéngshúle, kěyǐ zhāi le. The apples are ripe; they can be picked.

他经历了很多挫折，变得更加成熟。 Tā jīnglìle hěn duō cuòzhé, biàn de gèngjiā chéngshú. After experiencing many setbacks, he became more mature.

这项技术还不够成熟，需要进一步研发。 Zhè xiàng jìshù hái bú gòu chéngshú, xūyào jìnyībù yánfā. This technology is not yet mature enough; it needs further development.

她处理问题的方式非常成熟冷静。 Tā chǔlǐ wèntí de fāngshì fēicháng chéngshú lěngjìng. Her approach to handling problems is very mature and calm.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
技术成熟	mature technology
心理成熟	psychological maturity
成熟稳重	mature and steady
日趋成熟	increasingly mature

Usage Notes

成熟 applies to both concrete things (ripe fruit) and abstract concepts (a mature person, a mature market, mature technology). In Chinese, calling a young person 很成熟 (very mature) is a genuine compliment. The opposite is 不成熟 (immature) or 幼稚 (naive/childish).

Memory Hook

成 means "to accomplish/become" and 熟 means "cooked/ripe." So 成熟 is to "become cooked": just like food that has been fully cooked through, something that is fully ready.