Chinese word

瑕疵

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiá cī

Meaning

  • noundefect

Example

买回的手机有瑕疵，可以退货吗？mǎi huí de shǒu jī yǒu xiá cī ké yǐ tuì huò ma

The phone I bought has a defect. Can I return it?

Illustration for 瑕疵 (defect)

More examples

礼物的包装有瑕疵，我不想送给别人。lǐ wù de bāo zhuāng yǒu xiá cī wǒ bù xiǎng sòng gěi bié rén

The gift's packaging has a defect, so I don't want to give it to anyone.

Core concept

A small imperfection in an object that mars its appearance or keeps it from working fully.

Common phrases

  • 有瑕疵yǒu xiá cī

    have a defect

  • 检查出瑕疵jiǎn chá chū xiá cī

    detect a defect

  • 轻微瑕疵qīng wēi xiá cī

    minor defect

Similar words

问题wèn tí: A troublesome matter that calls for attention, action, or a solution.
毛病máo bìng: A problem in an object or machine that prevents it from working normally.
缺陷quē xiàn: A shortfall in an object's expected quality or function that makes it incomplete.
缺点quē diǎn: A less strong or less desirable part of a person's qualities or an object's performance.

Definition in Chinese

指物品在外观或性能上存在的小缺陷，这些缺陷可能降低价值或妨碍正常使用。zhǐ wù pǐn zài wài guān huò xìng néng shàng cún zài de xiǎo quē xiàn zhè xiē quē xiàn kě néng jiàng dī jià zhí huò fáng ài zhèng cháng shǐ yòng

Word origin

瑕 (xiá, "blemish") + 疵 (cī, "flaw") combines two words for a mark or defect, giving 瑕疵 (xiácī, "defect") its sense of a minor imperfection in an object.

Usage tips

  • In everyday buying and returning, 瑕疵 (xiácī, "defect") is useful when an item has a particular problem but still has value, rather than when it is simply described as broken.

Other meanings

  • flawnoun
  • shortcomingnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 瑕疵品xiá cī pǐndefective productnoun

Word lists with this word