Meaning of 节约
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to economize
- to conserve (resources)
- economy
- frugal
How to use 节约
节约 is used for saving resources such as water, electricity, time, or money, and often appears on public signs and in school or workplace reminders. A common pattern is 节约 + noun. Example: 请节约用水。(Qǐng jiéyuē yòng shuǐ.) Please save water.
节 (jié) is a joint or section, like the segments of bamboo, and 约 (yuē) means to restrain or limit. To 节约 is to cut your use into small, limited sections so nothing is wasted.
Common mistake: Learners often use 节约 for saving money in a bank, but that is 存钱 (cún qián). 节约 means using less and avoiding waste. Also keep the tones as second tone plus first tone, jiéyuē, not jiēyuè.
节约 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
节 jié · joint · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
约 yuē · to make an appointment · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 节约.
| 节目 | jiémù | (TV or radio) program; show; item; act; segment; number (on the program of a concert, vari |
| 节日 | jiérì | holiday; festival |
| 音节 | yīnjié | syllable |
| 春节 | Chūnjié | Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) |
| 大约 | dàyuē | approximately; probably |
| 约会 | yuēhuì | appointment; engagement |
| 细节 | xìjié | details; particulars |
| 季节 | jìjié | time; season |
| 节省 | jiéshěng | saving; to save |
| 情节 | qíngjié | circumstances; plot; storyline |
| 签约 | qiānyuē | to sign a contract or agreement |
| 约束 | yuēshù | to restrict; to limit to |
Questions about 节约
What does 节约 mean?
节约 (jiéyuē) means "to economize; to conserve (resources)" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 节约?
节约 is made of 2 characters: 节 (5 strokes), 约 (6 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 节约 an HSK word?
Yes. 节约 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 节约 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 节约 is written 節約.
What is the difference between 节约 and 节省?
Both mean to save or use less. 节约 sounds more formal and often describes a general habit or value, as in 节约能源 (jiéyuē néngyuán, conserve energy). 节省 (jiéshěng) is more everyday and often names the specific amount saved, as in 节省了十块钱 (saved ten kuai).
Can 节约 describe a person, like 'frugal'?
Yes, it can work like an adjective, as in 他很节约 (tā hěn jiéyuē, he is very frugal). For a stronger sense of thrift as a personal virtue, people also say 节俭 (jiéjiǎn).