HSK · Level 123
47 words
Chinese word
一体
Pronunciation
Pinyinyī tǐ
Meaning
- adverbon earth
Example
你一体想干什么？nǐ yì tǐ xiǎng gàn shén me
What on earth are you trying to do?
More examples
他一体在说什么，大家都听不懂。tā yì tǐ zài shuō shén me dà jiā dōu tīng bù dǒng
No one can understand what on earth he is talking about.
Core concept
A question pulls the whole matter into sharp focus and presses for a direct answer.
Common phrases
一体怎么回事yì tǐ zěn me huí shì
what on earth is going on
一体想干什么yì tǐ xiǎng gàn shén me
what on earth are you trying to do
Similar words
到底dào dǐ: In a question, strongly seeks a clear result or the real facts.
究竟jiū jìng: In a question, seeks to find out the true situation or the reason for something.
Definition in Chinese
一体（副词），常用于疑问句中表示强烈追问或反问，带有强调语气，口语中常与“到底”在语用上接近但语感更直接。yì tǐ fù cí cháng yòng yú yí wèn jù zhōng biǎo shì qiáng liè zhuī wèn huò fǎn wèn dài yǒu qiáng diào yǔ qì kóu yǔ zhōng cháng yǔ dào dǐ zài yǔ yòng shàng jiē jìn dàn yú gǎn gèng zhí jiē
Word origin
一体 (yītǐ, "one whole") originally refers to things forming a single whole, and it later became a question intensifier that presses for an explanation.
Usage tips
- Its blunt tone can make simple curiosity sound like a challenge, while a neutral question keeps the exchange more open.
Related words
- 一体化yì tǐ huàintegrationnoun
- 一体感yì tǐ gǎnsense of unitynoun