省

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shěng: 省 - Province; To Save

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: shěng, sheng, 省, Chinese province, what is a province in China, how to say save money in Chinese, 省钱, sheng qian, meaning of sheng, economize in Chinese, HSK 3
  • Summary: The Chinese character 省 (shěng) is a fundamental and versatile word with two primary, distinct meanings. As a noun, it refers to a province, the main administrative division of China, similar to a US state. As a verb, it means to save or economize on resources like money, time, or effort. Understanding both uses of 省 (shěng) is essential for discussing Chinese geography, travel, and everyday practical matters like budgeting and efficiency.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): shěng
  • Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
  • HSK Level: HSK 3
  • Concise Definition: A province (noun); to save, to economize, to omit (verb).
  • In a Nutshell: Think of 省 (shěng) as having two separate jobs. Its first job is geographical: it's the word for “province,” the largest building block of the country. If you want to say where you're from in China, you'll likely use this word. Its second job is practical and used daily: it means “to save” or “to be frugal.” This isn't about rescuing someone, but about cutting back on spending, time, or trouble. So, you can be in Guangdong 省 (Province) while trying to 省钱 (save money).

Character Breakdown

  • 省 (shěng): This character is a combination of two components:
    • 少 (shǎo) on top, meaning “few” or “less.”
    • 目 (mù) on the bottom, meaning “eye.”
  • Combined Meaning: You can think of the character's origin as “to look (`目`) closely at something to make it less (`少`).” This act of careful examination and reduction is the root of its meaning “to save” or “to economize.” It also relates to the less common meaning of “to reflect upon oneself” (`反省 fǎnxǐng`), where you examine your actions. The meaning of “province” is a later administrative borrowing, but the core idea of “examining and managing” is a helpful memory aid.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • The Province (省) as an Identity Marker: In China, the province is a core part of a person's identity, much like a state is in the U.S. or a country is within the UK. Provinces have distinct cuisines, dialects, cultures, and stereotypes. Someone from Sichuan (四川省) is known for their love of spicy food, while someone from Guangdong (广东省) is associated with Cantonese language and dim sum. When Chinese people meet, asking “你是哪个省的？” (Nǐ shì nǎge shěng de? - Which province are you from?) is a common way to build rapport and understand someone's background.
  • Saving (省) as a Cultural Virtue: The verb meaning “to save” is deeply connected to the traditional Chinese value of 节俭 (jiéjiǎn - thrift/frugality). For centuries, being able to save resources and avoid waste was essential for family survival and prosperity. This is a contrast to some aspects of Western consumer culture that may encourage spending and credit. While modern China has a booming consumer economy, the mindset of 省—saving for a rainy day, for a child's education, or for a home—remains a powerful cultural norm. It's not seen as being cheap, but rather as being responsible, wise, and forward-thinking.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • As a Noun (Province):
    • Used constantly when discussing geography, travel plans, or personal origins.
    • It's important to know that China has provinces (省), municipalities (like Beijing and Shanghai, which are city-provinces), and autonomous regions (like Tibet).
    • Example: “I'm going to travel to Yunnan Province.” (我要去云南省旅游。)
  • As a Verb (To Save):
    • Extremely common in daily conversations about money, planning, and efficiency.
    • It often combines with other words:
      • 省钱 (shěng qián): to save money
      • 省时间 (shěng shíjiān): to save time
      • 省力 (shěng lì): to save effort
      • 省事 (shěng shì): to save trouble (making something more convenient)
    • The connotation is almost always positive, implying wisdom and practicality.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1: (Meaning: Province)
    • 中国有二十三个省。
    • Pinyin: Zhōngguó yǒu èrshísān ge shěng.
    • English: China has 23 provinces.
    • Analysis: A straightforward factual statement using 省 as a noun. This is the kind of sentence you'd find in a textbook or a basic introduction to China's geography.
  • Example 2: (Meaning: To Save Money)
    • 为了买房子，我们必须省钱。
    • Pinyin: Wèile mǎi fángzi, wǒmen bìxū shěng qián.
    • English: In order to buy a house, we must save money.
    • Analysis: This shows the most common verb usage, 省钱 (shěng qián). The context is long-term planning, highlighting the cultural value of saving for major life goals.
  • Example 3: (Meaning: To Save Time)
    • 坐地铁可以省很多时间。
    • Pinyin: Zuò dìtiě kěyǐ shěng hěn duō shíjiān.
    • English: Taking the subway can save a lot of time.
    • Analysis: Here, 省 is used for the resource of time. This is a very practical and common expression in urban life.
  • Example 4: (Meaning: Province in a Question)
    • 你是哪个省的人？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ shì nǎge shěng de rén?
    • English: Which province are you from?
    • Analysis: A classic icebreaker question in China. Note the structure “哪个省的人” (which province's person).
  • Example 5: (Meaning: To Save Trouble/Convenient)
    • 网上购物真省事！
    • Pinyin: Wǎngshàng gòuwù zhēn shěng shì!
    • English: Shopping online is so convenient (really saves trouble)!
    • Analysis: 省事 (shěng shì) is a fantastic, high-frequency phrase. It means something reduces complexity and makes life easier.
  • Example 6: (Meaning: Province Capital)
    • 广州是广东省的省会。
    • Pinyin: Guǎngzhōu shì Guǎngdōng shěng de shěnghuì.
    • English: Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province.
    • Analysis: This example introduces the related term 省会 (shěnghuì), meaning “provincial capital.” It shows how 省 is the root for other geographical terms.
  • Example 7: (Meaning: To Save on a Specific Thing)
    • 这个月我们得省点儿电。
    • Pinyin: Zhè ge yuè wǒmen děi shěng diǎnr diàn.
    • English: We have to save a little electricity this month.
    • Analysis: This shows that you can 省 specific resources, not just the general concept of “money” or “time.” 省电 (save electricity), 省水 (save water).
  • Example 8: (Meaning: Omitting something)
    • 时间不够，我们就省略掉最后一个环节吧。
    • Pinyin: Shíjiān bùgòu, wǒmen jiù shěnglüè diào zuìhòu yí ge huánjié ba.
    • English: We don't have enough time, let's just omit the last part.
    • Analysis: This uses the more formal word 省略 (shěnglüè), which means “to omit” or “to leave out.” It shows the character's connection to the idea of “making less.”
  • Example 9: (Meaning: Frugality)
    • 他生活很省，从不乱花钱。
    • Pinyin: Tā shēnghuó hěn shěng, cóngbù luàn huā qián.
    • English: He lives very frugally and never spends money recklessly.
    • Analysis: Here, 省 is used as a stative verb or adjective to describe a person's thrifty nature. It's a character compliment.
  • Example 10: (Meaning: Self-Reflection)
    • 我需要好好反省一下自己最近的行为。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào hǎohǎo fǎnxǐng yíxià zìjǐ zuìjìn de xíngwéi.
    • English: I need to seriously reflect on my recent behavior.
    • Analysis: This introduces the compound 反省 (fǎnxǐng), showing a deeper, more literary use of 省. It means to look inward and examine oneself, connecting back to the character's origin of “eye” and “less/examine.”

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • Mistake 1: Confusing “Province” with “City”.
    • A very common error for beginners is to think a large city *is* a province.
    • Incorrect: “I'm going to Chengdu Province.”
    • Correct: “I'm going to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province.” (我要去四川省的成都市。)
    • Key Point: A province (`省`) is a large region that contains many cities (`市 shì`). Remember the special cases: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing are municipalities (`直辖市 zhíxiáshì`) that function at the same level as provinces.
  • Mistake 2: Using 省 (shěng) for “to rescue”.
    • English uses “save” for both “save money” and “save a life.” Chinese uses two different words.
    • 省 (shěng): To economize, to conserve. (e.g., 省钱 save money, 省时间 save time).
    • 救 (jiù): To rescue, to save someone from danger. (e.g., 救人 save a person, 救命! Save me!/Help!).
    • Example of Incorrect Usage: `消防员省了那个孩子。` (The firefighter economized the child.)
    • Example of Correct Usage: `消防员救了那个孩子。` (The firefighter rescued the child.)
  • Mistake 3: Confusing 省钱 (shěng qián) with 存钱 (cún qián).
    • Both relate to money, but have different meanings.
    • 省钱 (shěng qián): To save money by spending less. It's about reducing expenses. (e.g., “I took the bus instead of a taxi to 省钱.”)
    • 存钱 (cún qián): To save money by depositing it in a bank. It's about accumulating savings. (e.g., “I 存钱 in the bank every month.”)
    • Relationship: You 省钱 (shěng qián) so that you have money to 存钱 (cún qián).

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 省会 (shěnghuì) - The provincial capital city.
  • 省钱 (shěng qián) - The most common verb-object phrase: to save money.
  • 省事 (shěng shì) - To save trouble; a common adjective for something that is convenient and efficient.
  • 节约 (jiéyuē) - A more formal synonym for “to save” or “conserve,” often used in public signs regarding water, electricity, or food.
  • 浪费 (làngfèi) - The direct antonym of 省/节约; “to waste.”
  • 反省 (fǎnxǐng) - To engage in self-reflection or introspection.
  • 省略 (shěnglüè) - To omit or leave out, often used in writing or formal speech.
  • 直辖市 (zhíxiáshì) - A directly-administered municipality (e.g., Beijing, Shanghai) that is on the same administrative level as a province.
  • 救 (jiù) - A crucial distinction: means “to save” in the sense of “to rescue.”
  • 存 (cún) - To deposit or store, as in depositing money in a bank (`存钱`).