处理 chǔlǐ to handle
to handle; to deal with; to punish; to treat something by a special process; to process; to sell at reduced prices
How to remember 处理: 处 place + 理 reason = to handle.
Characters
How it is used
- 处理 (chǔlǐ) means to handle, deal with, or process something - a very common, versatile verb.
- Common collocations: 处理问题 (chǔlǐ wèntí, handle a problem), 处理事情 (chǔlǐ shìqing, deal with matters), 处理数据 (process data).
- Compare with 解决 (jiějué, to solve/resolve) - 解决 implies actually resolving the issue, while 处理 just means taking action to manage or handle it, which may or may not fully fix it.
- Also has a retail sense: 处理品 (chǔlǐpǐn, clearance/discounted goods), 处理价 (clearance price) - items "dealt with" by selling them off cheap.
Example sentences
- 算数处理数字。 Suànshù chǔlǐ shùzì.Arithmetic deals with numbers.
- 我们要快点处理这问题。 Wǒmen yào kuàidiǎn chǔlǐ zhè wèntí.We've got to do something about this problem soon.
- 这件事他处理得很好，得到了老板的表扬。 Zhèjiàn shì tā chǔlǐde hěn hǎo, dédào le lǎobǎn de biǎoyáng.He dealt with this matter very well and obtained his boss's praise.