精品

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 精品 (jīngpǐn) is composed of two characters: 精 (jīng) and 品 (pǐn). The character 精 originally meant "rice grains that have been carefully selected and polished", hence its meaning of "essence", "the best part", or "the most refined". The character 品 originally meant "to distinguish", "to grade", or "to evaluate", and later extended to mean "quality", "grade", or "type". When combined, the two characters 精品 form a compound word that means "the best of the best", "the finest quality", or "the most exquisite". It is often used to describe high-quality products, works of art, or other items that are considered to be of exceptional value or craftsmanship.