Chinese Conversation · Level 34
90 words
Chinese word
意思
Pronunciation
Pinyinyì si
Meaning
- nounmeaning
Example
这个词的意思是什么？zhè ge cí de yì si shì shén me
What does this word mean?
More examples
我不明白他的意思。wǒ bù míng bái tā de yì si
I do not understand his intention.
Core concept
The thought or aim inside a person, word, or action that shows what it is about or meant to do.
Common phrases
什么意思shén me yì si
what does it mean
他的意思tā de yì si
his intention
意思是yì si shì
mean
Similar words
打算dǎ suàn: A personal decision about a future action and the intention to follow it.
计划jì huà: An organized set of steps and times for achieving a goal.
目的mù dì: A definite result that a person seeks through an action.
意图yì tú: The intended aim expressed through words or shown by actions.
Definition in Chinese
指个人内心的打算、意向或想做某事的意愿，有时也指话语或行为所包含的意义。zhǐ gè rén nèi xīn de dǎ suàn yì xiàng huò xiǎng zuò mǒu shì de yì yuàn yǒu shí yě zhǐ huà yǔ huò xíng wéi suǒ bāo hán de yì yì
Word origin
意 (yì, "thought or intention") + 思 (sī, "to think") joins an inner thought with the act of thinking, giving the word its sense of an idea, aim, or message.
Usage tips
- In English, one word usually separates a message's point from a person's plan, while Chinese can use this word for both, so context supplies the difference.
Other meanings
- purposenoun
- ideanoun
- intentionnoun