Chinese word

抽象

Pronunciation

Pinyinchōu xiàng

Meaning

  • adjectiveabstract

Example

你的说法太抽象，请具体说明。nǐ de shuō fǎ tài chōu xiàng qǐng jù tǐ shuō míng

Your wording is too abstract; please explain it in concrete terms.

Illustration for 抽象 (abstract)

More examples

在学术讨论中，他把问题提高到更高的抽象层次来分析。zài xué shù tǎo lùn zhōng tā bǎ wèn tí tí gāo dào gèng gāo de chōu xiàng céng cì lái fēn xī

In an academic discussion, he raised the problem to a higher level of abstraction for analysis.

Core concept

An idea stays above visible details, so it is hard to connect with a particular real thing.

Common phrases

  • 抽象层次chōu xiàng céng cì

    level of abstraction

  • 抽象概念chōu xiàng gài niàn

    abstract concept

  • 抽象表述chōu xiàng biǎo shù

    abstract expression

Similar words

笼统lóng tǒng: Treating something broadly, without careful distinctions, exact details, or solid support.
模糊mó hú: Not clear enough to give a definite meaning, boundary, or form.
深奥shēn ào: Deep and difficult, requiring time and thought to understand fully.
具体jù tǐ: Clear and specific, with facts or examples that show the real situation.

Definition in Chinese

指言语、观点或描述缺乏具体细节，停留在笼统或概念层面，难以直接对应现实事物。zhǐ yán yǔ guān diǎn huò miáo shù quē fá jù tǐ xì jié tíng liú zài lóng tǒng huò gài niàn céng miàn nán yǐ zhí jiē duì yìng xiàn shí shì wù

Word origin

抽象 (chōuxiàng, "abstract") combines 抽 (chōu, "draw out") and 象 (xiàng, "form or appearance"), suggesting that a general idea is drawn from the features of things.

Usage tips

  • When a speaker calls an explanation 抽象 (chōuxiàng, "abstract"), the missing piece is usually a concrete detail or example rather than a difficult word.

Other meanings

  • abstractionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 抽象性chōu xiàng xìngabstractnessnoun
  • 抽象化chōu xiàng huàabstractverb

Word lists with this word