<p>筹 (chip) was a counting tool in ancient time. It was used by mathematicians for calculating. </p>

<p>運筹 was then used as a metaphor for the calculations strategists and military experts did  </p>

<p>Idiom: "運筹帷幄" (moving chips inside the tent) means "strategizing in headquarters" ( before go the field or not even need to be in the field)</p>

<p>胜一筹 literally means "one step ahead" and it evolved to mean "one up"; "bested (v)" and  "a level above" </p>

<p>略胜一筹 (slightly better by one calculating step) means "slightly a step ahead" or "at a slightly higher level"</p>

<p>筹 is not a classifier but a noun for "level" in modern Chinese, e.g. "技高数<strong>筹</strong>" (a few <strong>levels</strong> higher in skill); "力胜一<strong>筹</strong>" (one <strong>level</strong> higher in strength)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>更胜一筹， 略胜一筹：'slightly better', 'a cut above' are correct translations</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T03:19:26.483Z
2019-12-08T05:17:22.363Z
2019-12-08T05:17:22.363Z
Tang Ho
<p><em>Grand Ricci</em> defines 胜一筹 as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(loc.) L’emporter de justesse, de peu.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://translate.google.com/#view=home&amp;op=translate&amp;sl=auto&amp;tl=en&amp;text=(loc.)%20L%E2%80%99emporter%20de%20justesse%2C%20de%20peu." rel="nofollow noreferrer">Google translate</a> renders this into English as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>To prevail narrowly, little.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>一筹 is defined,</p>
<p>in <em>ABC</em> as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>bit; notch; cut</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and in <em>Pleco</em> as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>chip (used as a counter)-move</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and in <em>Oxford</em> as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>brilliant move</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and in <em>KEY</em> as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>chip (used as a counter)/a move</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T04:14:11.753Z
2019-12-08T04:20:27.150Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Mou某
<p>This text is talking about pearls.</p>

<p>另外，相比于淡水珍珠，海水珍珠多为有核珍珠，尺寸较大，表面更平滑，外观上更胜一筹。</p>

<p>更胜一筹，  略胜一筹：slightly better, a cut above.</p>

<p>Maybe, this comes from an ancient drinking <a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E7%AD%B9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">game</a>:</p>

<p>壶矢。古代投壶用的签子，形如箭笴[arrow]</p>

<p>You got more arrows in the pot than your opponent, he had to drink more 白酒 as punishment. </p>

<p>The Chinese like drinking games! (Me too!)</p>

<p>baidu: 笴: 箭杆 gě, gǎn</p>

<p>Maybe 筹 was the classifier for 笴?? What is 筹 in 更胜一筹？</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T02:27:39.657Z
？Simple Google will give you 筹 means 筹码
Toosky Hierot
<meaning>
What is the significance or meaning of 筹 in 略胜一筹？
# What is the significance or meaning of 筹 in 略胜一筹？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-08)

This text is talking about pearls.

另外，相比于淡水珍珠，海水珍珠多为有核珍珠，尺寸较大，表面更平滑，外观上更胜一筹。

更胜一筹， 略胜一筹：slightly better, a cut above.

Maybe, this comes from an ancient drinking [game](https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E7%AD%B9):

壶矢。古代投壶用的签子，形如箭笴[arrow]

You got more arrows in the pot than your opponent, he had to drink more 白酒 as punishment.

The Chinese like drinking games! (Me too!)

baidu: 笴: 箭杆 gě, gǎn

Maybe 筹 was the classifier for 笴?? What is 筹 in 更胜一筹？

**Tags:** meaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: ？Simple Google will give you 筹 means 筹码  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-12-08. Score: 1

筹 (chip) was a counting tool in ancient time. It was used by mathematicians for calculating.

運筹 was then used as a metaphor for the calculations strategists and military experts did

Idiom: "運筹帷幄" (moving chips inside the tent) means "strategizing in headquarters" ( before go the field or not even need to be in the field)

胜一筹 literally means "one step ahead" and it evolved to mean "one up"; "bested (v)" and "a level above"

略胜一筹 (slightly better by one calculating step) means "slightly a step ahead" or "at a slightly higher level"

筹 is not a classifier but a noun for "level" in modern Chinese, e.g. "技高数**筹**" (a few **levels** higher in skill); "力胜一**筹**" (one **level** higher in strength)

> 更胜一筹， 略胜一筹：'slightly better', 'a cut above' are correct translations


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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-12-08. Score: 0

*Grand Ricci* defines 胜一筹 as:

> (loc.) L’emporter de justesse, de peu.

[Google translate](https://translate.google.com/#view=home&op=translate&sl=auto&tl=en&text=(loc.)%20L%E2%80%99emporter%20de%20justesse%2C%20de%20peu.) renders this into English as:

> To prevail narrowly, little.

---

一筹 is defined,

in *ABC* as:

> bit; notch; cut

and in *Pleco* as:

> chip (used as a counter)-move

and in *Oxford* as:

> brilliant move

and in *KEY* as:

> chip (used as a counter)/a move


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