English–Chinese
“true intention” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinběn yì
Example
我知道他的本意不是那样。wǒ zhī dào tā de běn yì bú shì nà yàng
I know his true intention was not like that.
How to say “true intention” in Chinese
“True intention” in Chinese is 本意 (běn yì).
The inner purpose behind an outward message or act.
Example sentences with 本意
他的表述被曲解，偏离了本意。tā de biǎo shù bèi qū jiě piān lí le běn yì
His statement was misinterpreted and no longer reflected his true intention.
Tips for using 本意
- This word is useful in misunderstandings because it lets a speaker explain a remark charitably rather than treating its surface wording as the whole message.