Chinese word

症结

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhēng jié

Meaning

  • nouncrux

Example

问题的症结在于双方缺乏信任。wèn tí de zhēng jié zài yú shuāng fāng quē fá xìn rèn

The crux of the problem is that both sides lack trust.

Illustration for 症结 (crux)

More examples

要想推动改革，必须首先弄清症结。yào xiǎng tuī dòng gǎi gé bì xū shǒu xiān nòng qīng zhēng jié

To promote reform, we must first understand the crux.

Core concept

The central knot in a problem that blocks a solution.

Common phrases

  • 解决症结jiě jué zhēng jié

    resolve the crux

  • 指出症结zhǐ chū zhēng jié

    identify the crux

  • 症结所在zhēng jié suǒ zài

    where the crux lies

Similar words

核心hé xīn: The most central part of a whole, especially the part that defines its nature.
根源gēn yuán: The basic source or cause that gives rise to a problem or event.
关键guān jiàn: A crucial point that has a direct effect on solving a problem or making a decision.
焦点jiāo diǎn: The main point that attracts attention or becomes the subject of discussion.

Definition in Chinese

某一问题中阻碍解决的根本原因或最重要的关键点。mǒu yí wèn tí zhōng zǔ ài jiě jué de gēn běn yuán yīn huò zuì zhòng yào de guān jiàn diǎn

Word origin

症 (zhēng, "illness") + 结 (jié, "knot") originally described a knot-like illness in the body, and this image extended to the central blockage in any problem.

Usage tips

  • The pattern 症结在于 (zhēngjié zàiyú, "the crux lies in") introduces the cause that matters most, making it useful when explaining a problem in conversation.

Other meanings

  • key pointnoun
  • key to the problemnoun

Opposites

  • 枝节zhī jiéminor detailsnoun

Word lists with this word