biāozhǔn (biāo·zhǔn [(conforming to)] mark[s] · standard[s] → [[(conforming to)] standard[s]; criteria] 标准 標準) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”
In Western culture, especially American culture, it seems, the way to give the best compliments involves exaggeration. For example, one might say,
“That person gave 110%!”
In contrast, for a Mandarin field language-learner, the best compliment from a Chinese person is often
“Nǐ (you 你) shuōde (shuō·de speak · getting 说得 說得) hěn ({very much} 很) biāozhǔn (biāo·zhǔn (to be conforming to) mark · standard → [(to be conforming to) standard] 标准 標準)!”
That literally means that the language-learner’s speech hit the mark, and matched up to the standard well—matched, not exceeded.
Different cultures, different calibrations—understanding that will help us to take people’s comments the right way. For example, if you manage to move a Chinese person to say that your Mandarin is very “biāozhǔn (biāo·zhǔn [(conforming to)] mark[s] · standard[s] → [[(conforming to)] standard[s]; criteria] 标准 標準)”, the meaning is not that you are doing okay, so-so, but failing to excel. Rather, the meaning is that you are doing very well indeed!