成熟
mature; ripe
chéngshú
What does 成熟 mean?
成熟 (chéngshú) is an adjective meaning 'ripe' (of fruit and crops) and 'mature' (of a person, mind, plan, or technology). Fruit that is 成熟 is ready to eat; a person who is 成熟 is emotionally grown-up and sensible; a 成熟的方案 is a 'well-developed, workable plan,' and 技术很成熟 means 'the technology is well-established.' English speakers should note the wide reach: one Chinese word covers 'ripe,' 'mature,' and 'fully developed/proven,' contexts English splits across several words. It can also act as a verb: 条件还没成熟 ('conditions have not yet ripened').
The characters mean 'become cooked/ripe.' It is neutral in register and common in agriculture, character description, business, and technology. Its opposites are 不成熟 or 幼稚 (yòuzhì, 'childish') for people and 生 (shēng, 'unripe') for fruit.
Note: Neutral. Taiwan speakers often pronounce the second syllable shóu (chéngshóu); mainland standard is shú. Can also work as a verb ('to ripen / to mature').
Character breakdown
to become; to complete
ripe; cooked; familiar
Memory hook: 成 (become) + 熟 (ripe/cooked): to become ripe — mature.
Example sentences
这些苹果还没成熟，太酸了。
Zhèxiē píngguǒ hái méi chéngshú, tài suān le.
These apples aren't ripe yet; they're too sour.
spoken
他比同龄人更成熟。
Tā bǐ tónglíng rén gèng chéngshú.
He's more mature than others his age.
neutral
现在做这件事，时机还不成熟。
Xiànzài zuò zhè jiàn shì, shíjī hái bù chéngshú.
The time isn't right yet to do this.
neutral
这项技术已经非常成熟了。
Zhè xiàng jìshù yǐjīng fēicháng chéngshú le.
This technology is already very well-established.
written
Common phrases with 成熟
Synonyms
熟 alone can mean 'ripe / cooked / familiar' but is often about food being done (菜熟了 'the food is cooked') or knowing something/someone well (很熟). 成熟 specifically means fully matured/developed, especially for people and plans.
Don't confuse 成熟 with
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