Chinese word

半信半疑

Pronunciation

Pinyinbàn xìn bàn yí

Meaning

  • idiomhalf-convinced

Example

听了他的解释，我仍然半信半疑。tīng le tā de jiě shì wǒ réng rán bàn xìn bàn yí

After hearing his explanation, I was still half-convinced.

Illustration for 半信半疑 (half-convinced)

More examples

在没有更多信息的情况下，我们对所谓的进展都持半信半疑的态度。zài méi yǒu gèng duō xìn xī de qíng kuàng xià wǒ men duì suǒ wèi de jìn zhǎn dōu chí bàn xìn bàn yí de tài dù

Without more information, we all remained half-convinced about the so-called progress.

Core concept

A mind accepts part of a claim while keeping a question beside it, so belief and doubt remain together.

Common phrases

  • 对报道半信半疑duì bào dào bàn xìn bàn yí

    half-convinced about the report

  • 对官方说法半信半疑duì guān fāng shuō fǎ bàn xìn bàn yí

    half-convinced about the official statement

  • 对该消息源半信半疑duì gāi xiāo xī yuán bàn xìn bàn yí

    half-convinced about that information source

Definition in Chinese

对别人的说法、传闻或信息不能完全相信，内心既有相信的成分又保留怀疑。duì bié rén de shuō fǎ chuán wén huò xìn xī bù néng wán quán xiāng xìn nèi xīn jì yǒu xiāng xìn de chéng fèn yòu bǎo liú huái yí

Word origin

The idiom 半信半疑 (bànxìnbànyí, "half-convinced") is built from 半 (bàn, "half") + 信 (xìn, "believe") + 半 + 疑 (yí, "doubt"), placing equal parts of belief and doubt side by side.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear "half-convinced" as a precise level of certainty, whereas this Chinese idiom usually presents a mixed stance rather than a measured probability.

Opposites

  • 信以为真xìn yǐ wéi zhēntake as trueidiom
  • 深信不疑shēn xìn bù yífirmly believeidiom

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