出息

• Pinyin: chū xi
• Hanzi breakdown: 出 = to produce/come out; 息 = 自 (self) + 心 (heart) = breath/interest

Meaning

Promise; potential; prospect of success. Often used to describe someone's future prospects or achievements.

A colloquial noun describing someone's potential for success or their achievements. Often used in phrases like 没出息 (no promise, hopeless) or 有出息 (promising, capable). Can be encouraging or dismissive depending on context.

Examples

1. 这孩子从小就有出息，现在果然成了医生。 This child showed promise from a young age, and sure enough, he's now a doctor.
2. 你都三十岁了还啃老，真没出息。 You're thirty and still relying on your parents — how pathetic.
3. 父母总希望子女能有出息。 Parents always hope their children will be successful.

Usage Guide

Context: family, evaluation, encouragement

Tone: evaluative

Do Say

• 好好学习，将来才能有出息。(Study hard, so you can have a promising future.)
• 她是村里最有出息的孩子。(She's the most successful kid in the village.)

Don't Say

• 他的出息很高 (Don't use with 高 — say 他很有出息 or 他有大出息)

Origin & History

Originally meant income or profit from an investment. Extended to mean the profitable outcome or potential of a person.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal