còuhe: 凑合 - To make do, To get by, To improvise

• Keywords: couhe, 凑合, make do in Chinese, get by in Chinese, good enough in Chinese, improvise in Chinese, settle for less, so-so, passable, 凑合凑合, 将就, Chinese culture, pragmatism
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 凑合 (còuhe), a fundamental Chinese term that means “to make do,” “to get by,” or “to improvise.” More than just a word, còuhe represents a cultural mindset of pragmatism and accepting imperfection. This guide explores its use in daily conversation, from describing a simple meal to a temporary solution, and contrasts it with the Western ideal of “striving for the best,” offering a deep dive for any learner of Chinese language and culture.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): còuhe
• Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To make do with what's available; to put up with something imperfect or passable.
• In a Nutshell: 凑合 (còuhe) is the art of accepting “good enough” when “perfect” isn't an option. It's about patching things together, grabbing whatever ingredients are in the fridge for a meal, or using a solution that works for now, even if it's not ideal. It carries a feeling of practicality and resourcefulness, but can also have a slightly negative undertone of resignation or settling for second best. It's the opposite of being a perfectionist.

• 凑 (còu): This character means “to gather,” “to collect,” or “to pool together.” Imagine gathering scattered items or people to form a group.
• 合 (hé): This character means “to combine,” “to join,” “to fit,” or “to be suitable.” It implies bringing things together into a whole.

When combined, 凑合 (còuhe) literally means to “gather and combine.” This paints a vivid picture of its meaning: you're not using a perfectly designed, integrated solution. Instead, you're gathering whatever pieces are available and fitting them together to solve a problem. The result works, but it might not be pretty—it's an improvised assembly.

凑合 (còuhe) is a cornerstone of Chinese pragmatism, reflecting a worldview shaped by a history where resources were often limited and resilience was essential. It embodies the wisdom of not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. In Western, particularly American culture, there's a strong emphasis on optimization, striving for the best, and “no compromises.” Settling for less can be seen as a sign of failure or lack of ambition. In contrast, 凑合 (còuhe) is often viewed as a practical, and sometimes necessary, life skill in China. It's not about being lazy; it's about conserving energy for what truly matters. Why spend hours cooking a perfect meal on a busy Tuesday night when you can 凑合 (còuhe) with some noodles and be done in 15 minutes? This mindset values resourcefulness and adaptability over idealistic perfection. It's a quiet acknowledgment that life is full of imperfections, and the ability to “make do” is a form of strength. However, it's important to note that in contexts of quality, relationships, or important work, describing something as 凑合 (còuhe) is a clear indicator that it falls short of the desired standard.

凑合 (còuhe) is an extremely common, informal term used in many daily situations.

• As a Verb (To Make Do / Improvise): This is its most common usage. It's about taking an action in a makeshift way.
  • Food: “家里没什么菜了，凑合吃点儿吧。” (There aren't many groceries left at home, let's just make do with something to eat.)
  • Living: “这个公寓很小，但我们先凑合住着吧。” (This apartment is tiny, but let's just make do and live here for now.)
  • Solutions: “我的眼镜坏了，先用胶带凑合一下。” (My glasses are broken, I'll use tape to make them work for now.)
• As an Adjective (So-so / Passable): It can describe the quality of an object or a situation as being merely acceptable, but not great.
  • “你觉得这部电影怎么样？” “还凑合吧。” (“What did you think of the movie?” “It was passable/alright.”)
  • “这件衣服的质量很凑合。” (The quality of this piece of clothing is just so-so.)
• In Relationships (Usually Negative): To say two people are “凑合着过” (còuhe zhe guò) is to say they are staying together out of convenience or obligation, not love. It implies a lack of passion and a feeling of resignation. This is a very strong and sad statement.

• Example 1:
• 中午我们就凑合吃点面条吧。
• Pinyin: Zhōngwǔ wǒmen jiù còuhe chī diǎn miàntiáo ba.
• English: Let's just make do with some noodles for lunch.
• Analysis: This is a classic, neutral use of 凑合. It implies that noodles are a quick and easy option, not a fancy or planned-out meal. It shows practicality.
• Example 2:
• 我新租的房子条件不太好，先凑合住着。
• Pinyin: Wǒ xīn zū de fángzi tiáojiàn bù tài hǎo, xiān còuhe zhùzhe.
• English: The conditions of my newly rented apartment aren't great, so I'm just making do for now.
• Analysis: Here, 凑合 clearly indicates that the living situation is temporary and below the speaker's ideal standard. The tone is one of acceptance of a less-than-perfect reality.
• Example 3:
• 这台电脑的性能很凑合，只够上上网，处理文档。
• Pinyin: Zhè tái diànnǎo de xìngnéng hěn còuhe, zhǐ gòu shàng shàng wǎng, chǔlǐ wéndàng.
• English: This computer's performance is just passable; it's only good enough for browsing the web and processing documents.
• Analysis: Used as an adjective, 凑合 describes the computer's quality as mediocre. It functions, but it's not impressive or powerful.
• Example 4:
• 我觉得他们俩感情早就没了，就是凑合着过日子。
• Pinyin: Wǒ juéde tāmen liǎ gǎnqíng zǎo jiù méi le, jiùshì còuhe zhe guò rìzi.
• English: I feel like the love between them is long gone; they're just getting by together.
• Analysis: This is the strong, negative use of 凑合 in the context of relationships. It implies a loveless, duty-bound existence, which is considered quite tragic.
• Example 5:
• 时间来不及了，我们凑合一下，先交个初稿吧。
• Pinyin: Shíjiān láibují le, wǒmen còuhe yíxià, xiān jiāo ge chūgǎo ba.
• English: We're running out of time, let's just whip something together and submit a first draft for now.
• Analysis: In a work context, this shows a pragmatic decision to meet a deadline, even if the work isn't perfectly polished. It prioritizes timeliness over perfection.
• Example 6:
• “你的新发型怎么样？” “凑合看吧。”
• Pinyin: “Nǐ de xīn fàxíng zěnmeyàng?” “Còuhe kàn ba.”
• English: “How's your new haircut?” “It's acceptable enough to look at, I guess.”
• Analysis: This is a self-deprecating or humble response. The speaker is saying their haircut is “just okay,” not fantastic. It's a way of downplaying it.
• Example 7:
• 人手不够，我们只能先凑合成一个团队。
• Pinyin: Rénshǒu bùgòu, wǒmen zhǐ néng xiān còuhe chéng yí ge tuánduì.
• English: We don't have enough people, so we can only cobble a team together for now.
• Analysis: This highlights the “gathering and combining” aspect. The team isn't ideal or hand-picked; it's formed from whoever is available out of necessity.
• Example 8:
• A: 晚饭想吃什么？ B: 随便，凑合凑合就行。
• Pinyin: A: Wǎnfàn xiǎng chī shénme? B: Suíbiàn, còuhecòuhe jiù xíng.
• English: A: What do you want for dinner? B: Whatever, just making do with something simple is fine.
• Analysis: The duplicated form 凑合凑合 softens the tone, making it sound more casual and easy-going. It emphasizes the “it's no big deal” attitude.
• Example 9:
• 这把椅子腿儿有点晃，不过还能凑合用。
• Pinyin: Zhè bǎ yǐzi tuǐr yǒudiǎn huàng, búguò hái néng còuhe yòng.
• English: This chair's leg is a bit wobbly, but it's still usable.
• Analysis: This sentence perfectly captures the essence of using something that is imperfect but still functional. It's the definition of “making it work.”
• Example 10:
• 他英语说得很凑合，基本交流没问题。
• Pinyin: Tā Yīngyǔ shuō de hěn còuhe, jīběn jiāoliú méi wèntí.
• English: His spoken English is passable; basic communication is not a problem.
• Analysis: This is a neutral evaluation of a skill. It means he's not fluent or eloquent, but his ability is sufficient for the task at hand (basic conversation).

• “凑合” vs. “差不多 (chàbuduō)”: This is a common point of confusion.
  • 差不多 (chàbuduō) means “almost the same” or “more or less.” It describes similarity or approximation. (e.g., “These two colors are 差不多.”)
  • 凑合 (còuhe) means “passable” or “making do.” It describes function and acceptability despite flaws.
  • Example: If your phone's screen is cracked but it still works, you'd say “还能凑合用” (I can still make do with it). You would not say it's “差不多.”
• “凑合” is not a compliment: Never use 凑合 to describe something you genuinely think is good, especially someone's cooking or a gift they gave you. Saying “这顿饭很凑合” (This meal is passable) to your host would be insulting. You're essentially saying their effort was mediocre.
• “凑合” vs. “Good Enough”: While they seem similar, “good enough” in English can sometimes be a positive benchmark (e.g., “This prototype is good enough to show investors”). 凑合 almost always implies a compromise from a higher, unachieved standard. It carries a stronger sense of “settling.”

• 将就 (jiāngjiu) - A very close synonym for 凑合. It also means “to make do” or “put up with,” sometimes with an even stronger sense of reluctance and compromise.
• 差不多 (chàbuduō) - “Almost,” “more or less.” Relates to the cultural acceptance of approximation, which is a cousin to the pragmatism of 凑合.
• 马马虎虎 (mǎmǎhǔhǔ) - “So-so,” “careless.” Often used to describe performance or quality that is just passable, much like when 凑合 is used as an adjective.
• 勉强 (miǎnqiǎng) - “Reluctantly,” “to force oneself to do something.” This often describes the feeling *behind* the act of 凑合. You 勉强 accept a situation, and therefore you 凑合.
• 应付 (yìngfu) - “To deal with (perfunctorily),” “to go through the motions.” You might do a 凑合 job on a report simply to 应付 your boss.
• 随便 (suíbiàn) - “Whatever,” “as you please,” “casual.” A word that often precedes a 凑合 decision, indicating a low-stakes, low-effort choice. “随便吃点，凑合一下。” (Let's just eat whatever, and make do.)