Definition
差强人意 is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'just passable' or 'barely satisfactory'. The character 差 here means 'somewhat' rather than 'bad, poor', so the idiom literally means 'barely satisfying one's expectations'. It is used when something meets the minimum standard but is not impressive. Be careful not to overuse it negatively — it implies grudging acceptance, not outright disappointment.
f.e.
just passablebarely satisfactory
Examples
- 差强人意，。Zhè cì kǎoshì de chéngjì zhǐ néng shuō chā qiáng rén yì, hái xūyào jìxù nǔlì.The results of this exam are just passable; I still need to keep working hard.
- ，差强人意。Tā de biǎoxiàn suī bù wánměi, dàn zǒngsuàn chā qiáng rén yì ba.His performance, though not perfect, is barely acceptable after all.
- 差强人意，。Zhè jiā cāntīng de cài wèidào chā qiáng rén yì, jiàgé què fēicháng guì.The food at this restaurant is just passable, yet the prices are very high.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.