Chinese word

相识

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiāng shí

Meaning

  • verbget acquainted

Example

我们去年在公司相识。wǒ men qù nián zài gōng sī xiāng shí

We got acquainted at work last year.

Illustration for 相识 (get acquainted)

More examples

我们因朋友介绍而相识。wǒ men yīn péng yǒu jiè shào ér xiāng shí

We got acquainted through an introduction by a friend.

Core concept

A shared doorway into knowing someone: the first mutual recognition that makes future greetings or brief conversation possible, without promising intimacy.

Common phrases

  • 因工作相识yīn gōng zuò xiāng shí

    get acquainted because of work

  • 在学校相识zài xué xiào xiāng shí

    get acquainted at school

  • 在旅途中相识zài lǚ tú zhōng xiāng shí

    get acquainted during a trip

Similar words

认识rèn shí: Coming to know a person's face, name, or identity through recognition.
结识jié shí: Making a first acquaintance that may lead to future contact.
遇见yù jiàn: Meeting or coming upon someone by chance or according to a plan.
见面jiàn miàn: Seeing someone in person as arranged or when a chance to meet arises.

Definition in Chinese

指人在相遇或介绍后开始相互认识，强调建立认识这一事实而不一定表示亲密关系。zhǐ rén zài xiāng yù huò jiè shào hòu kāi shǐ xiāng hù rèn shí qiáng diào jiàn lì rèn shí zhè yí shì shí ér bù yí dìng biǎo shì qīn mì guān xì

Word origin

The compound 相识 (xiāngshí, "get acquainted") joins 相 (xiāng, "mutually") with 识 (shí, "recognize"), showing that both people come to recognize one another.

Usage tips

  • In everyday storytelling, this word marks the beginning of a continuing connection while the surrounding sentence supplies the time, place, or setting.

Other meanings

  • knowverb
  • meetverb
  • acquaintancenoun

Word lists with this word