Questions tagged [meaning]
Questions about understanding the meaning of words, phrases, etc. For in-context meaning, use [meaning-in-context].
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Do the almost identical sentences 你没有他的勤奋 and 你没有他勤奋 have some difference in meaning?
The book I'm reading says there is a slight difference of meaning between these two sentences. I can't really grasp the difference. Do you agree with my book?
你没有他的勤奋。
你没有他勤奋。
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What does this name mean? (Characters identified: 善任) [closed]
I would love to know its meaning.
Thank you in anticipation. <3
The characters represent my adopted daughter's first name, as assigned by her great uncle.
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What does 批 mean here?
I came across this sentence in 天橋上的魔術師 by 呉明益.
「不是，我是魔術師。」男人自己這樣宣稱。有一天我問他東西是哪裡批來賣的時候，他說，「這些魔術都是真的。」
東西 here refers to magic tools the man who claims to be a magician is selling.
What meaning does 批 ...
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Existence of a Chinese sentence with several meanings according to how the characters are grouped
In Chinese, there is no space between words (groups of characters). I have heard that most of the time there is no confusion possible. But is there any Chinese sentence where there are multiple ways ...
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How does the “有“ affect the meaning of a sentence beginning 有一天 vs. 一天?
How does the “有“ affect the meaning of sentence?
What is the difference between 有一天国王把他的故事给一名作家 and 一天国王把他的故事给一名作家.
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What does 把帽子全扣我头上 mean?
Fascinatingly, Wikipedia author 折毛 somehow managed to fabricate large numbers of Chinese Wikipedia pages about Russian history etc.. However, I'm a bit confused about this part of her apology letter:
...
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What is the difference between using "去 + place," versus using "要去 + place"?
For example, 我们去森林里探险。Translations for this will be pretty much the same as, "我们要去森林里探险。
I understand the difference may be subtle, but I'm curious as to the nuance of the difference.
Thanks so ...
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English idiom of "想入非非"
There is a chinese idiom called 想入非非:
to indulge in fantasy
Is there is an english idiom that is similar to this?
Searching gave me this strange "idiom":
allow one's fancy to run wild
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Why does 竹槓 (bamboo) also mean rip off?
I know that "bamboos are hollow and compartmentalized". "A bamboo rod has an empty middle". But I still cannot connect the dots! I can't think up any relation between bamboo + ...
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Is 了 optional in the following sentence: 我上午八点前起床了 and 我三十分钟前起床了?
Is 了 optional in the following sentences: 我上午八点前起床了 and 我三十分钟前起床了? I know that 了 is for completed actions, but in the case of getting up, it's obvious that I already woke up. I got the same thoughts ...
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What's the difference between 星期X and 周X?
When accepting an answer, I noticed that the example used the word 周三 for Wednesday, but in my grammar, the days of the week are 星期一, 星期二, etc...
They seem both correct but, what's the difference? ...
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I need help interpreting the signature located in the upper right corner of my silk painting. Can anyone help?
Can anyone interpret the signature located in the upper right-hand corner of my painting own silk fabric. I'm guessing that it dates to around the 1960s. I'm not sure whether or not the signature is ...
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Origin and history of 吃
Chinese meaning of 吃 From google dictionary:
动词
咀嚼后吞咽下去（有时也指吸、喝）。
「吃饭」
动词
吸纳（液体）。
「沙土地特别能 吃水」
动词
消灭；吞并。
「连 吃对方三个子儿」
动词
耗费。
「吃力」
动词
承受；受。
「身体 吃不消」
动词
指一物体进入另一物体。
「轮船越重 吃水越深」
动词
...
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Difference between 谈 and 讲
What's the difference between 谈 and 讲, and when do I use them? Or are they interchangeably used? They both seem to mean "talk".
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What does this Symbol mean? (Characters Identified: 招財進寶) [duplicate]
Please help me if you know what does this Symbol mean.
Thank you for your help!
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A Complex Chinese Character (Characters Identified: 招財進寶)
I randomly saw this character on the blog a while ago and saved a image of it as shown below.
Is this even a character? If so, what does it mean? When is it used? What was the origin of it? How do ...
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How offensive is 他妈的?
How offensive is the expression 他妈的? What is an English expression with a similar degree of offensiveness? In what situations is this expression appropriate / not appropriate?
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What does 狗尾巴草 mean in the following context?
The following quote is from the short story 1934年的逃亡 by Su Tong.
陈宝年心中长出一棵灰暗的狗尾巴草，他在祖宗像前跪拜天地的时候，不时蜷起尖锐的五指，狠掐女人伸给他的手。
What does it mean to grow a Setaria_viridis in one's heart?
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Official definition of (單)字, (單)詞, 片語, 成語
As stated in the title, is there an official, or unified, definition of these terms?
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Meaning of 明珠本珠 describing a person
Used in describing a person, is it a set expression?
黄磊也太宠黄多多了，明珠本珠了
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What does 科 in 本科教育 or 本科学历 mean?
This question is triggered after reading the post "What does 本 in 本科教育 or 本科学历 mean?" In which, the word 本 was well explained, how about 科?
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What type of meanings/functions can/does 谁 have?
I had learnt some grammar points where 谁 seems to introduce a subordinated phrase (those people who （谁做谁） ... and who would be 谁, now I was wondering what other functions 谁 could have.
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How should I interpret 『看你楣到啥個辰光』?
While rereading Taipei People by Pai Hsien-yung I encountered this phrase:
勿要面孔的東西, 看你楣到啥個辰光!
Which, in the English translation comes out as:
Shameless things! Let's see how long you can keep ...
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屋子 - House or building?
I'm currently working through Rosetta Stone and it's showing me various pictures of generic buildings (e.g., gym, doctor's office) and describing them as 屋子. However, both my wife (who is Taiwanese, ...
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What does 丑八怪 mean?
I have a gaming group in which this term "丑八怪" is being used a lot along with the 眼皮底下, anyway all the letters look similar.
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Does Chinese have 单词 ("words")?
This may seem like a strange question coming from someone who has studied Chinese for a number of years now, but I recall a teacher long ago saying I shouldn't call Chinese words
CC-CEDICT: 单词 (dān...
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How should I understand 延伸开来 within ……并且延伸开来，导致重大而长远的对抗?
The following opinion piece considers a hypothetical scenario in which the USA and China's coronavirus death numbers were reversed:
总之，假如中国今天在一场全球共同灾难中成为应对最差、损失最大的那一个，美国和西方对中国的意识形态攻击一定会是海啸级的，并且延伸开来，...
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What does 脫上台 in the following context?
This line comes from the song 走建國路回家但後座少ㄌ泥. Lyrics can be found here if more context is needed.
知道妳喜歡自由, 不會去管你太多就算妳說上台要脫
I know you like freedom, so I won't bother you too much, even if... What? &...
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What is the meaning of ...不断向产业链的高端提升是发展趋势的要求?
I can't quite get the last part of this
专家：这个问题不能一刀切。对于东部的企业，因为起步较早，有一定产业规模和资金积累，所以调整产业结构，提高技术含量，不断向产业链的高端提升是发展趋势的要求。
Can I rewrite the last bit thus:
不断向产业链的高端提升是发展趋势的要求。= 发展趋势的要求是不断向产业链的高端的提升。
...
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Does this tattoo mean honesty?
I was told this meant truth and honesty when I got it. Is that the true meaning?
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How should I interpret the 一……一 construct used in 一爱一岗 and 睫一毛一?
……父母是子女的第一位启蒙教师，要培养子女的责任感、事业心，家长首先就要敬业一爱一岗，有强烈的责任感、事业心。……
大禹治水
……大王，您想错了。我虽然见识不多，但我知道，人的智慧往往就同人的眼睛一样，能见百步以外的东西，却看不见自己的睫一毛一。……
目不见睫
I'm not sure how to interpret the 一……一 phrases above. I've ...
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What does 外地人能干的，北京人应该照样能干，转变观念已迫在眉睫 mean in my textbook?
据介绍，今年北京的劳动力市场总体上仍供大于求，就业形势依然严峻。外地人能干的，北京人应该照样能干，转变观念已迫在眉睫。行文至此，北京市职业介绍部门传来令人欣喜的消息：在招聘的85名保洁员中，有50人是北京人。相信会有越来越多的北京人从外地人离京这一课中受到启发，振奋精神，展示北京人的新风采。
Short Term Reading Chinese (2nd edition): Advanced; ...
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Could somebody help me translate what these bookmarks say?
My boyfriend got me a small box of bookmarks off the internet, however they are all in Chinese. I have tried translating them through Google Translate but had no luck as it is not picking up all the ...
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What does 片 mean in 右肩已经一片麻木?
This is the whole paragraph:
车已经开了快三个小时了，车窗外的天还是很阴沉，身边坐的姑娘还在睡，脑门儿很踏实地枕在他肩上，右肩已经一片麻木。
It cannon be a measure word, since 麻木 is an adjective, right?
Also, the 一 yi means A/AN or ALL/WHOLE in this ...
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What is my name?
I am not Chinese, and know very little of the language, but I was born in China since my parents happened to live there at the time, and somebody gave me a Chinese name, which, unfortunately, I do not ...
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The meaning of 肉niuniu的
"肉niuniu的" is written as is and the person is describing/eating a durian 榴莲
Is it 扭扭? Or an onomatopoeia? or something else
edit: added image for clarification
it's really "niuniu&...
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How to translate "见字如面” into English?
As far as I know, I think "见字如面” literally means when you see someone's letter, it's as if you were seeing him or her face to face. So I believe this word sort of indicates your familiarity with ...
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What does 嗦特嗦 mean?
Hello I'm wondering what would 嗦特嗦 mean? I've done a bit of research on baidu and I know 嗦 would mean eat/suck, 嗦嗦 is an onomatopoeia, 特 is special, but combined 嗦特嗦, it doesn't make much sense to me. ...
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搞得头 ，弄得头 ，睡过头 what does mean 头 in these three examples?
What does 头 in 搞得头 / 弄得头 / 睡过头
For example in this sentence:
可是这个密码那个密码，搞得头都大了。
“头” 是 head的意思？
“头” 字是个结果补语还是名词？
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What's the difference between 说话的人 and 说话人?
Does anyone know the difference between 说话的人 and 说话人?
Thank you
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Seeking help with the interpretation of this seal. Can anyone help me?
This seal is located in the lower left corner of my free hand brushwork painting and I suspect that it could contain the name of the artist. All help will be appreciated.
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How to ask "Can you still speak Chinese?" in Chinese Mandarin?
I think I can say like this 你还能说中文吗 to ask whether someone still can speak Chinese or not. But I doubt about the word can.
It seems like the following words can all mean can:
可
能
会
Which word is the ...
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Can anyone assist with the interpretation of this japanese pottery mark?
**This mark is found on the bottom of a ceramic pottery tray believed to be Japanese in origin. Any help with the interpretation will be greatly appreciated.
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Can anyone assist with the interpretation of the symbol that is being depicted in this calligraphy artwork?
**This is a framed scroll painting that was executed by the artist "TIESHENG" as indicated in the oval shaped seal on the lower left. It measures 36 x 28 inches. The two seals on the right ...
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Is 消杀 (xiāoshā) a new word, and what does it mean?
In recent reading about the pandemic, suddenly I'm encountering the word 消杀. It doesn't appear in any dictionary I'm aware of, but it seems to be used in formal communication. I also encountered it ...
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Since 本来 means both "originally" and "of course", how can I determine if 他本来是老师 means "he was originally a teacher" or "he is of course a teacher"?
CC-CEDICT: 本来 (běnlái) original / originally / at first / it goes without saying / of course
I'm interested in the two adverb meanings of 本来, which my dictionary's definitions are:
（副）从前，先前。
（副）...
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What is 照拂 in 我是你照拂的梦?
So in this line 我是你照拂的梦, both Google and Apple have translated as I am your dream. What about 照拂? What does 照拂 describe 梦 or 你?
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