count on one's fingers; calculate
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to count on one's fingers; to calculate by pinching finger joints (traditionally using the thumb to count across the fingers)
Refers to the traditional method of counting or calculating on one's fingers, often associated with fortune-telling, date calculation, or mental arithmetic. Commonly appears in the idiom 掐指一算.
Lǎo老
rén人
qiā掐
suàn算
le了
bàn半
tiān天
，
shuō说
zhè这
mén门
qīn亲
shì事
bù不
jí吉
lì利
。
The old man counted on his fingers for a long time, then said this marriage would be unlucky.
Tā他
qiā掐
suàn算
zhe着
rì日
zi子
，
děng等
dài待
ér儿
zi子
fàng放
jià假
huí回
jiā家
。
He counted the days, waiting for his son to come home for the holidays.
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Bú不
yòng用
zhǐ纸
bǐ笔
，
tā他
yě也
néng能
qiā掐
suàn算
chū出
fù复
zá杂
de的
zhàng账
mù目
。
Without pen and paper, he could also calculate complex accounts on his fingers.
Dào道
shi士
qiā掐
zhǐ指
yī一
suàn算
，
jiù就
zhī知
dào道
shì事
qíng情
de的
yuán原
wěi委
。
The Taoist priest counted on his fingers and immediately knew the whole story.