Chinese word

间接

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiàn jiē

Meaning

  • adjectiveindirect

Example

这是间接的证据。zhè shì jiàn jiē de zhèng jù

This is indirect evidence.

Illustration for 间接 (indirect)

More examples

法庭接受了这些间接证据作为定罪的补充。fǎ tíng jiē shòu le zhè xiē jiàn jiē zhèng jù zuò wéi dìng zuì de bǔ chōng

The court accepted these pieces of indirect evidence as additional support for the conviction.

Core concept

A message, effect, or link reaches its target through a middle step instead of along a straight line.

Common phrases

  • 间接证据jiàn jiē zhèng jù

    indirect evidence

  • 间接影响jiàn jiē yíng xiǎng

    indirect influence

  • 间接表达jiàn jiē biǎo dá

    indirect wording

Similar words

委婉wéi wǎn: Using a considerate and softened way to express something that may be hard to hear.
含蓄hán xù: Keeping part of the meaning inside rather than expressing it fully or openly.
婉转wán zhuǎn: Using mild, indirect wording that circles around the point instead of stating it plainly.

Definition in Chinese

在表达、影响或联系时不直接指向对象，而是通过转述、隐含或其他媒介间接实现的情形。zài biǎo dá yíng xiǎng huò lián xì shí bù zhí jiē zhǐ xiàng duì xiàng ér shì tōng guò zhuǎn shù yǐn hán huò qí tā méi jiè jiàn jiē shí xiàn de qíng xíng

Word origin

间 (jiàn, "interval") + 接 (jiē, "connect") combines the ideas of an intervening space and a link.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this adjective is neutral and does not by itself say that a speaker is being tactful, vague, or unfriendly.

Other meanings

  • roundaboutadjective
  • indirectlyadverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 间接地jiàn jiē dìindirectlyadverb
  • 间接性jiàn jiē xìngindirectnessnoun

Word lists with this word