competent
Definitions
Having enough skill or knowledge to do something well
有能力的，胜任的；称职的
(law) Having the legal authority or qualification to act
（法律）有合法权限的，有资格的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcom- (together) + petere (seek) + -ent (adj.) literally 'seeking together,' which in Latin drifted to 'coming together, coinciding, being suitable.' To be competent is for your abilities to *meet* the demands of a task — they line up and are adequate. The 'striving' sense faded into 'being equal to the job.'
Root pet still carries 37 more wordsWhy It Means This
Competent and compete are twins from com- + petere, but they split early. compete kept the active 'rush for the same prize' sense; competent took the quieter Latin branch where 'seeking together' meant things coinciding or matching up. So competent doesn't mean 'eager to compete' — it means your skills fit the job. That faint praise is built in: competent is 'good enough,' not 'brilliant.'
Common Collocations
- 1.highly competent非常能干的
- 2.perfectly competent完全胜任的
- 3.competent authority主管当局
- 4.technically competent技术上胜任的
Example Sentences
- 1.
She is a highly competent manager who rarely makes mistakes.
- 2.
He's competent enough, but he'll never be a star.
- 3.
The court ruled that she was competent to stand trial.
Synonym Comparison
- competent — adequately skilled; meets the standard but isn't necessarily impressive
- capable — has the potential or capacity to do something, often more positive
- skilled — has developed real expertise through training
- proficient — advanced and fluent, beyond merely adequate
- qualified — has the formal credentials or right to do something