Questions tagged [meaning]

Questions about understanding the meaning of words, phrases, etc. For in-context meaning, use [meaning-in-context].

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
3 votes
5 answers
676 views

What does 家 mean in 家医院?

I came across 家医院 in example sentences in an anki deck I downloaded. I know that 医院 means hospital. I tried to look up 家医院 in two dictionaries but could not find it. What is 家医院? Is it equivalent ...
0 votes
2 answers
77 views

Can anyone tell me what this tattoo means? Please and thanks 😊

my husband of 12 years has this tattoo on his chest. He got it when he was a teen. He thought it meant danger but it looks different then anything we've seen online. Can someone please tell us what ...
0 votes
3 answers
70 views

How to literally translate this: 极爱冒险的大导演...?

据说,曾经有一位很有个性、极爱冒险的大导演到南美丛林拍有关古代印加文明的纪录片。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 26. About its literal translation, I have reached to the following point: 据说 (it is said that),曾经(once)有(...
1 vote
4 answers
84 views

What is the meaning of 却 in 却可以使我们不会在错误的道路上走得太远?

我有一个体会:现实中,我们不一定知道正确的道路是什么,但时时反省、总结,却可以使我们不会在错误的道路上走得太远。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 26. What is the meaning of 却 here? 却(?)可以(can)使(let)我们(us)不会(will not)在(in)错误的(wrong)道路(...
0 votes
0 answers
66 views

Looking to identify a watercolour signature (Characters identified: 郭連訓)

Looking to identify a watercolour signature i just purcashed. 1989 made. any help is much appreciated.
2 votes
4 answers
148 views

What is the meaning of 大事小事?

文文从小是个乖乖女,学习刻苦,遵守纪律。大事小事,尽管妈妈表示也要征求她的意见,但上哪所学校、念什么专业,甚至跟什么人交朋友,基本上都是妈妈说了算。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 23. What is the meaning of 大事小事? What does "big thing small thing&...
2 votes
3 answers
154 views

What is the exact meaning of 着 and how to use it in a sentence?

What is the exact meaning of 着 and how can I use it in a sentence?
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

Why does your mother tell you to 蹲着买药,弯腰买零食,买茶要说自己喝?

I read this Zhihu article which gives advice from different people. Among the advice is this: 母亲,告诉你,蹲着买药,弯腰买零食,买茶要说自己喝。 Literally it translates to: Mother tells you, squat while buying medicine, ...
1 vote
2 answers
91 views

How to literally translate this: 正当水手们慌张得不知如何是好时, ..., 使劲儿朝里面放水?

有一位经验丰富的老船长,一次返航中,天气恶劣,他们的船遇到了可怕的巨大风浪。正当水手们慌张得不知如何是好时,老船长命令水手们立刻打开货舱,使劲儿朝里面放水。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, segment 25. How to literally translate this: 正当水手们慌张得不知如何是好时,...
3 votes
2 answers
390 views

Difference between 佔 and 占

In this post, I am discussing characters in traditional writing. When reading as zhan4, I wonder what the difference between 佔 and 占 is. Is there a division in use by meaning? Or, is one totally ...
0 votes
2 answers
60 views

The meaning of 鬓边不败牡丹

It's from this song: https://www.kugeci.com/song/MNnjq2LY#txt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGP9sY9WsbY&t=95s 是意中人 鬓边不败牡丹 Something about lovers. I wonder if it's a reference to some Chinese ...
7 votes
9 answers
9k views

Meaning of "去你的头"

I just heard "去你的头" in a joke, and while it sounds like an approving "go ahead" OR "go with your head/what you think" I realized at the end of the joke it's kind of an equivalent of "go f*** yourself" ...
1 vote
4 answers
307 views

What is the difference between 潜艇 and 潜航器?

是意味着乌克兰现在对于克里米亚的这个战术,发生了一些新的改变,呃应该说克里米亚地区的安全形势大幅的恶化,跟乌军战法的更新,有很大关系,首先,乌军,现在的这个从装备的角度讲呢,有很多选择比如说无人机,无人艇和无人潜航器,加上现在的北约援助给乌克兰的,这个远程的战术巡航导弹等等,那么,主要还是要看到就是这各种啊,所谓的无人机... This is from a news broadcast I ...
3 votes
3 answers
279 views

Why does 葛藤(갈등) mean 'conflict' or 'troubles'?

I am learning Korean, and my dictionary gives an English meaning for 葛藤(갈등) as 'conflict' or 'troubles'. Why do these characters combine do give this meaning? Both characters seem to mean some kind of ...
1 vote
1 answer
170 views

Explanation of 五颜六色

棚子里有一张床板摆着各种题材的小人书,墙边还拉了几根绳子,一本本书翻开搭在上面,五颜六色的,很好看。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, segment 20. The 五颜六色 with meaning colorful or multicolored, can it be used even if the number of the ...
0 votes
1 answer
48 views

How to literally translate this: 第二种忙,忙得很主动,忙而不乱,人是工作的主人?

工作中的忙碌大概可以分为三种:第一种忙, ...;第二种忙,忙得很主动,忙而不乱,人是工作的主人;第三种忙,... This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 26. I want your help for the literal translation of this: 第二种忙,忙得很主动,忙而不乱,人是工作的主人 第二(...
2 votes
6 answers
482 views

Difference between 怎么办 and 做什么?

1994年,理查德得了心脏病,当时医生说他剩下的时间可能不多了。那时,他开始思考自己的人生,“我该怎么办? 我该做什么?” This is from the Standard Book of HSK5, section 21. I am in this point: 我(I)该(should)怎么(what)办(do)? 我(I)该(should)做(do)什么(what)? So what is ...
2 votes
6 answers
416 views

What's the difference between 写下 and 记下?

Please explain to me the difference between them . When should i use them and so on .
0 votes
1 answer
47 views

Difference between 打电话给 and 打电话和?

如果只能活24小时,我会打电话和朋友们说再见。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, segment 21. What is the difference between 打电话给 and 打电话和?I would write it as: 如果只能活24小时,我会打电话给朋友们说再见。 So what is the difference? ...
2 votes
2 answers
119 views

Differences between 学生,学童 and 同学?

比如,他们讨论过《卖火柴的小女孩儿》是写给谁看的,还讨论过灰姑娘的故事。老师讲完故事之后,问同学们: ... This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 22. I don't understand why the word 同学 is used. Why not 学生 or 学童? 老师讲完故事之后,问学生们: ... ...
0 votes
1 answer
37 views

What is the meaning of 看 in 比如,他们讨论过《卖火柴的小女孩儿》是写给谁看的?

我曾经听一位美国的小学老师说,他们十分重视和学生一起讨论问题。比如,他们讨论过《卖火柴的小女孩儿》是写给谁看的,还讨论过灰姑娘的故事。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 22. What is the meaning of 看 here: 是写给谁看的?Maybe to consider?: 比如 (for example)...
2 votes
1 answer
69 views

Please explain the difference between 具備, 俱備

Please explain the difference between 具備, 俱備. Do they mean the same thing? Or is there some subtle differences? To me they both seem to mean the exact same thing: to be prepared. Thanks for the help!
1 vote
1 answer
44 views

Trying to find information on this silk painting - Presumably from 1666, made for the Kangxi Emperor

This painting was presented to us as follows: “Xia Summer”. With seals“Chen Quan Xi” and “Nam Ping Kangshi”. Dated 1666. I've figured out that this does refer to 'The year of the Fire Horse' which ...
0 votes
3 answers
156 views

Writer looking for Chinese name for a character

I'm writing a novel and I have a character that is of Chinese descent. The story takes place centuries into the future on another planet with only a handful (few several thousand) humans left. Of ...
5 votes
7 answers
783 views

What does 老铁 mean?

I found some people call others 老铁. What does this mean? Does it mean friend? I can't find this usage in any dictionaries.
1 vote
5 answers
213 views

Can「文化」replace 「學歷」in a sentence?

I watched a Chinese documentary program, a woman told the interviewer:「我父母都沒什麼文化,所以祇能做一些低薪的勞力工作」 My reaction was "She couldn't really mean to say her parents are uncultured". Judging from ...
3 votes
3 answers
99 views

Explain the meaning of「打斧頭」

I watched a mainland Cantonese program explaining 「打斧頭」. Since an axe is only sharp on one side. The back part of the axe is often cast with inferior materials to reduce costs. Therefore, the meaning ...
8 votes
8 answers
5k views

Another meaning of 同志

Is it true that 同志 has some different meaning? Like gay (as in homosexual) or something? I know that during the 20th century in China and communist Russia it was very common to call people 同志 (товарищ,...
0 votes
4 answers
74 views

Exact Meaning of 左挑右选 and 前看后看

I'm reading 寓言故事 about the story of 郑人买履, and I found the phrase 左挑右选 and 前看后看, what does it means? Especially for the 前看后看, is it like before looking and after looking? It is kind of weird with the ...
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

What does the phrase "足矣" mean?

I saw this phrase recently in a post online. The whole sentence is 人生得一知己足矣. I think 人生得一知己 means "getting a BFF(?) in one's life". (The only meaning of the word 知己 that I know of is BFF, but please ...
0 votes
4 answers
546 views

What's the meaning of 稿件投诉, I saw it on 哔哩哔哩 while streaming?

While I stream videos on 哔哩哔哩, I saw 稿件投诉. But when I searched on Pleco, 稿件 means contribution or manuscript, and 投诉 means appeal or complain. If we combine them both, what does it means? Contribution ...
1 vote
4 answers
264 views

在《恰似你的溫柔》這首歌歌詞裡面,什麼是「浪花的手」?

歌詞 但願那海風再起  只為那浪花的手  恰似你的溫柔 什麼是「浪花的手」? 我有初步研究過,似是指 海風 ,是只是為了掀起浪花的手,這海風,恰似是你的溫柔。但網上搜查,卻說浪花,恰似是你的溫柔。到底是海風還是浪花,並且加上「浪花的手」,是否有比較確切的意思? The question in English is, what is "wave / tide bubble hand&...
0 votes
2 answers
170 views

difference between 接到 and 收到

Can you give me as many as example sentences where I can use 接到 but not 收到 use 收到 but not 接到 use both 接到 and 收到, and their meanings are same use both 接到 and 收到, and their meanings are different? I'm ...
6 votes
7 answers
2k views

What is the meaning of 死 in 死搬兵书上的理论?

公元前260年,赵括带兵出战。一直盲目自信、轻视秦军的他完全改变了廉颇的作战方案,死搬兵书上的理论,主动进攻秦军,结果数十万赵军全部被杀,丢掉了宝贵的生命。 This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 15. What is the meaning of 死? Baidu and Google literally translate ...
2 votes
3 answers
251 views

Meaning of 我在医院工作

I'm getting confused about whether 我在医院工作 means: I work in a hospital or I'm working in a hospital at the moment. To clarify, in the first option I mean that hospital is my day-to-day place to go, I'...
3 votes
6 answers
452 views

旁边那个大点儿的杯子是我的 — how to correctly break down this sentence?

I think 『那个大点儿的杯子』will be translated together as "that bigger cup", though I do not understand which thing 『旁边』 is referring to. Is it The object that is nearby that bigger cup is mine, or ...
8 votes
7 answers
837 views

What is the meaning of 冒 in 感冒?

I like to know how a word 'works' in a phrase. What did people think when they came up with the phrase 感冒? A hat/cover on your feelings?? Maybe this 感 means something else? 感 means feel, perceive, ...
1 vote
3 answers
102 views

How should I interpret this 吧 in the sentence "好,那咱们一起去吧" ?

A:我们去吃午饭,你也一起去吗? B:好,那咱们一起去吧。 I translated above sentences as follows using a dictionary and the text book which gave those sentences. A: We are going to eat lunches, Do you also come together (with ...
2 votes
4 answers
734 views

Meaning and function of "会" in 我都会把下次学生需要带东西写在黑板上?

“每次下课前,我都会把下次学生需要带东西写在黑板上” (hsk3 standard course textbook chapter 12, text 4) What's the meaning and function of ”会“ in this sentence? Can I omit it and still preserve the meaning of the sentence?
1 vote
3 answers
53 views

When to prefer “是……的” over “了” in “是谁把你送到机场的?” or “谁把你送到了机场?”?

When to prefer “是……的”· over “了”? Which one of the following is correct? 是谁把你送到机场的? 谁把你送到了机场?
1 vote
4 answers
642 views

I can't understand the roles of 光 and 就 which are used inside 光写这份提纲,就花了我一个月的时间。

光写这份提纲,就花了我一个月的时间。 It took me a month to write this outline. (this translation has been made by deepL). I can completely link the sentences of deepL and 写这份提纲,花了我一个月的时间(removed 光 and 就)。 I want to ...
26 votes
10 answers
36k views

What is the difference between 哈哈, 呵呵, 嘻嘻, and 嘿嘿?

I always see 哈哈, 呵呵, 嘻嘻, and 嘿嘿 in WeChat, QQ, etc, but I don't really understand the subtle differences between them and when to use them appropriately, especially 呵呵. I use 呵呵 myself now, but I'm ...
0 votes
1 answer
473 views

What is the difference between 不 and 没? [duplicate]

I know 不 is the negative prefix for a verb, such as 不是. However 没 is also a negative prefix, such as 没有, so what is the difference between 不 and 没? Thanks!
0 votes
3 answers
214 views

How do you describe Chinese words when you are learning Chinese?

I am making a fantasy language and trying to learn how other languages outside of English organize their grammars. I am looking at Mandarin Chinese Result Complements, and they are all complex ...
2 votes
6 answers
529 views

What does 荤菜 mean and why isn't it called 肉菜?

My understanding is that 荤菜 means "meat dish" in Chinese. But I don't understand why. I read there is a saying "荤素搭配", which draws similarities to Yin and Yang. If someone knows ...
0 votes
2 answers
260 views

What does GHKWXUE mean in English?

What does GHKWXUE mean in English? It's the brand name if a pot/pressure cooker I'm looking into buy and I wondered what it means.
1 vote
5 answers
195 views

What does 做上饭 mean?

What means 上? Recently i saw a phrase where a women said 你怎么做上饭了啊? And i would like to know how often this happens and what it is used for.Please explain to me
3 votes
7 answers
4k views

What does "你舒服吗" mean in a relationship context?

I was practicing speaking Chinese with a native-speaking learning partner and used the phrase “你舒服吗” while referring to whether one is stressed out or relaxed. The partner told me that it's unusual ...
2 votes
3 answers
310 views

What does 给 mean other than "to give"?

I've seen sentences where 给 is not used in the sense of "give". Please explain to me why 给 is used here? The sentences: 你给我听好了 你给我站住
2 votes
2 answers
78 views

How can we conclude that 人生观的核心 is 人生目的?

This is a question from C-Eval used to evaluate Chinese generative AI, in the category "ideological and moral cultivation" (the AI is supposed to choose B (in bold) when given this question; ...

1
2
3 4 5
33