Questions tagged [meaning]
Questions about understanding the meaning of words, phrases, etc. For in-context meaning, use [meaning-in-context].
1,307
questions
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How long will it take when people say 马上?
If someone say 马上, how long will it take?
2 min? 10 min?
马上，汉语词汇，拼音是mǎ shàng，意思是立即。作时间副词，表示时间很短的意思。
马上https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%A9%AC%E4%B8%8A/80352
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2answers
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汉语里的这种看似而并非纯属口语、平时不跟他字搭配成词的字有特别的名字吗？
据我所观察，以下字均符合这两个条件：一、看似而并非纯属口语（词典作根据），二、平时不跟他字搭配成词。进一步说，在这些字中，很多平时会被其他频率较高的字或词所代替。
且看：
字：蒙（哄骗）
例句：你别蒙我。
字：蒙（胡乱猜测；碰运气）
例句：这球踢进门，全是蒙上的。
字：蒙（糊涂；不清楚）
例句：一上台就蒙了，不知道该说什么好。
字：蒙（昏迷）
例句：被人打蒙了
字：磨（消耗(时间); 拖延）
例句：...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
Why does typing "qi" into my pinyin keyboard produce the trans flag?
I use an online Pinyin keyboard which suggests emojis based on what I write. For example, if I write "开心“, a smiley face is suggested. I've noticed, if I type "qi", the trans flag emoji ...
1
vote
2answers
81 views
What is the meaning of "削平巨寇"?
I read the sentence 岳飞真是一员猛将，在很短的几天内削平巨寇。
削 means cut
巨 means huge
how to read the 削平巨寇？ it means cut the 巨寇？
0
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1answer
52 views
Precisely what do 净入学率 (~"net enrollment rate") and 毛入学率 (~"gross enrollment rate") mean?
I'm reading about literacy in China, and encounter the terms 净入学率 and 毛入学率, but I'm unclear on their precise meaning:
CC-CEDICT: 净 (jìng) ... / net (income, exports etc) / ...
CC-CEDICT: 毛 (máo) ... ...
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1answer
78 views
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1answer
37 views
the difference between 出价 发价 报价 提价
Anyone know the the difference between 出价 发价 报价 提价？
I want to know the detailed different meaning about those words.
thank you for answering my question.
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1answer
81 views
I don’t know Chinese, so can someone help me figure out what this sentence says?
I don’t know Chinese, but I want to know what the sentence in the attached image says in. I only have the sentence in an image so hopefully you can see it. I apologize for the low picture quality. I ...
2
votes
5answers
139 views
Is there any difference in meaning between 世间 and 世界上?
As far as I understand, 世界 means world or the world.
And these two words 世间 and 世界上, I think they both mean the same: in the world. But I am not sure if I interpret them correctly.
Is there any ...
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5answers
153 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
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1answer
97 views
what's the meaning/origin of 呲东西停不下来桑?
I came across this sentence that is puzzling me, especially the last characters:
呲东西停不下来桑
Its meaning should be "I can't stop eating" but I cannot really understand where is coming from.
...
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3answers
106 views
What does "你究竟是还看了些 什么东西" mean?
So I was reading a novel and I don't get "你究竟是还看了些 什么东西" does it mean "what else did you see?" Or would it be more like "what else did you learn?"
3
votes
3answers
55 views
What are some example sentences for 现代汉语词典's first definition of 论证, which means something like "argumentation"?
Since I'm encountering issues originating from using (insufficiently precise and often incomplete) Chinese-English and English-Chinese dictionaries, I'm trying to make the switch to Chinese-Chinese ...
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2answers
88 views
是 assessing an overall situation
This is the title of a paragraph in the book "Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar", by Yip Po-Ching and Don Rimmington, whose content I find really hard to understand. The explanation:
是 shì ...
2
votes
3answers
608 views
警察 vs 武警 difference
So I'm trying to understand the first sentence from the book 三体.
The original:
汪淼觉得，来找他的这四个人是一个奇怪的组合：两名警察和两名军人，如果那两个军人是武警还算正常，但这是两名陆军军官。
My translation:
Wang Miao thought the 4 men coming to him ...
1
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5answers
189 views
Does 面对疾病，特别是癌症，也就是恶性肿瘤 not imply 癌症就是肿瘤?
面对疾病，特别是癌症，也就是恶性肿瘤，除了及早治疗，彻底消灭癌细胞，心态也很重要。开朗、乐观是战胜癌症的武器。据统计，因此而完全恢复健康的奇迹并不少见；而悲观情绪，却间接成了癌细胞的帮手，加快了癌细胞在我们体内的繁殖。
HSK Coursebook 6上, listening, page 196 (original)
The above is the listening component of ...
2
votes
2answers
65 views
What is the difference between 但 and 只?
I see that 但 means "only" besides its typical meaning "but". So what is the difference between 但 and 只 and when do you use 但 with the meaning "only"?
2
votes
2answers
57 views
How to give news of my grandmothers death
In English I would say: I am sorry to say my grandmother passed away on X date.
How would I give that news in mandarin? Is there a way to say ‘I am sorry to say’ or do they not say that in mandarin?
3
votes
3answers
121 views
How do I precisely understand 坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也 (the origin of the chengyu 坐井观天)?
CC-CEDICT: 坐井观天 (zuòjǐngguāntiān) lit. to view the sky from the bottom of a well (idiom); ignorant and narrow-minded
The origin of the above 成语 (idiom) is reported to be the line
坐井而观天，曰天小者，非天小也。
...
3
votes
2answers
298 views
Why does 苏 have the meaning revive?
苏 originally referred to the plant with purple flowers, I believe. Maybe it likes to grow by a river.
江苏
苏生：come back to life
苏醒：awake from being unconscious
苏：昏迷中醒过来
苏 can refer to Perilla frutescens ...
1
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5answers
125 views
Precise meaning of 马到成功
So I just happened to watch a youtube video that has displayed in the background an artwork with horses and the phrase 马到成功.
Google Translate offered these: It's a success. Gain an immediate victory....
2
votes
4answers
203 views
What are the key traits of someone with a 坚强的性格, and which notable people are examples?
I'm having trouble making 坚强 concrete:
CC-CEDICT: 坚强 (jiānqiáng) staunch / strong
The standard example phrase is 坚强的性格 which is sometimes translated to a "strong/staunch personality". ...
2
votes
2answers
78 views
Compound words with 生
The dictionary says 生词 means "new words". I know that 词 means "word". Then I concluded that 生 would mean "new" as well as the famous meaning "birth" that it has....
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2answers
101 views
What is the difference between 赞赏, 欣赏 and 佩服?
These are the meanings in the MDBG.net dictionary (based on CC-CEDICT dictionary)
赞赏 to admire / to praise / to appreciate,
欣赏 to appreciate / to enjoy / to admire,
佩服 to admire.
So all of them ...
1
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2answers
85 views
Meaning of a slogan for an advert
I found this old airline advert with a “slogan” using 3 by 3 words:
生於斯
情所依
In context, there is a huge calligraphy of 家， which means home. So the first three characters i would interpret as “i was ...
1
vote
3answers
89 views
Expressing "it is there" 是在那儿 vs 在那儿
Dear fellow community members,
I recently encountered the wording 是。是在那儿 to express "yes. it is there" as a response to the question "是在这儿吗？" . I was wondering if this is correct? ...
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3answers
103 views
Use of 是 and 很 to express "I am not well"
Dear Chinese Language community users, I have the following question. During my learning I encountered the answer 我不是很好 in response to 你好吗？I was puzzled because I thought the correct negative answers ...
3
votes
2answers
224 views
When you first meet someone, sometimes they say (for example): " 我是小朋...“
。。。 “小时的小，朋友的朋。”
I think Chinese people will say that because you may not know how their name is written, so you get a better description of what their name is.
But... does the word have to be the ...
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2answers
124 views
Is 俄 still used as an adverb?
According to PLC, 俄 can be an adverb and it means "very soon, presently, suddenly". Does this meaning still occur in modern Chinese?
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2answers
446 views
Interpretation of 冂 in 大盂鼎
I was recently looking into the origins of the character「冖」, which《說文新證》states does not appear on its own in the texts excavated so far:
現有考古文字材料未見獨體的冂（偏旁或作冖）字，...
However, searching「冖」on 小學堂 gives ...
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3answers
145 views
What does this mean in English?
I wasn’t sure what this person meant when she said
你的国语太累
Not sure if I used the right lei?
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5answers
130 views
What is the exact function/purpose of 来了 at the end of sentences like this:
她吃晚饭的时候她朋友打电话来了。
I know it focuses the mind on perspective -- like the action previously stated has come toward the speaker in some way. But what is the exact function? I'd love to start naturally ...
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2answers
67 views
Are these sentences correct?
大家好！
1.大女方四岁。
2.男方大四岁。
3.男方大其四岁。
Are these sentences correct?
谢谢！
有大神回答下吗？
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1answer
66 views
What does 按 mean in 打印机好像坏了，我按半天了，一直没反应?
This is from a HSK5 exam listening section:
男：打印机好像坏了，我按半天了，一直没反应。
女：昨天刚修的，居然又坏了?真耽误事儿，我看看。
问：女的对什么感到奇怪?
I'm not sure what 按 is doing in this sentence. From the context, it seems to mean something ...
0
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1answer
72 views
What is the difference between 有时 and 有时候? How are they used differently in context?
大家好！
I noticed that in Chinese, there are two similar words for "sometimes": 有时 and 有时候. Are they any different from each other? For example, is one more formal than the other?
Thanks! :)
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2answers
118 views
稀里糊涂and糊里糊涂, Are there any differences?
大家好！
1.稀里糊涂/糊里糊涂，它们有区别吗？
2.稀，里是什么意思？These are words not found in most dictionaries.
0
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2answers
93 views
Who would we describe as 豪爽?
豪爽 (háoshuǎng)
CC-CEDICT: outspoken and straightforward / forthright / expansive
豪爽 is an adjective used to describe people's personalities. Judging from dictionary definitions and examples, such ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Why is 因为 listed as an adverb in the dictionary?
“因为”是连词，为什么有副词？
https://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/thesaurus.php?word=%E5%9B%A0%E4%B8%BA
Please show me example sentences with 因为。
2
votes
2answers
172 views
Chinese characters on original Art (Painting and Litho on Wood) I bought in China
Does anyone know what the chinese characters say on these pictures? I bought them in China while visiting a few years ago and everyone always asks me what they mean. I love them but would love to know ...
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2answers
97 views
What does 头上养马 mean?
I've tried to understand it using context clues from the following but I really can't make sense if it. Is it literal?
Some example:
让他头上养马
那怎么还敢在她头上养马？
敢接受莫可可的人，必须得有在头上养马的觉悟。
你是想在劳资头上养马吗！？
2
votes
1answer
70 views
What does 乐助 (yuè zhù) mean?
I think we've got some music biz jargon here:
【我们恋爱吧 第二季】EP12 @ ～20:09
The sentence:
我们的那个乐助说了
The person speaking often speaks of his band, so it is likely that 乐 is short for: 乐队. Of course, less ...
1
vote
2answers
119 views
The difference in meaning between 俺 and 我
I stumble upon the word '俺' when my mom was talking to someone from a different region of China but the dialect was still the same. 俺 and 我 both mean the same thing right?
1
vote
5answers
184 views
What does 早待不住了 mean in 要在往常，我一定早待不住了……?
要在往常，我一定早待不住了，惦记着某某侦探的案件是不是有了突破，……
Google Translate: As usual, I must have been unable to stay any longer, wondering if there was a breakthrough in the case of Detective XX,...
标准教程HSK6上，87页
I don't ...
1
vote
1answer
94 views
Background guy in tik toks
Often in chinese tik tok compilations, there is a guy in the background who says something sounding like "ayodema" or something like that... I'd like to ask you what he is actual saying and ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
What could these characters i found on a robe mean?
I guess the first character is 福 meaning good fortune
And the second character is 得 meaning to gain but i have no clue what the third character should represent.
I not even remotely sure about my ...
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2answers
160 views
How can I use 笨/蠢/傻/呆/痴 properly?
笨/蠢/傻/呆/痴 what are the differences and how are they properly used in a sentence? thnk U
What is the difference between all of these?↓
这个人真笨。 这个人真傻。 这个人真呆。 这个人真蠢。这个人真痴。
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3answers
240 views
What is the purpose of 赴 ("to visit") within 全力以赴 ("to make an all-out effort")?
全力以赴 (quánlìyǐfù)
CC-CEDICT: to do at all costs / to make an all-out effort
Breaking apart this chengyu, we find:
全力: "with all one's strength / full strength / all-out (effort) / fully (...
2
votes
2answers
98 views
Expressing knowledge or skill: 认识 vs 会 vs 知道
I came across several verbs meaning knowledge or skill about something.
I guess that 会 (simplified) / 會 (traditional) is used specifically to imply a skill, as in "他会说中文" - He can speak ...
0
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2answers
108 views
What suffix of location is more natural in Standard Mandarin : 头, 面 or 边?
when I use 上 /下 /东/ 南 /里 etc. how do I know If I have to use 边 /面 /头？
I normally use 面, as in 书在桌子上面, but I want to be sure I'm right.
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3answers
148 views
The difference between 左右 and 大概
房子大概九十平方米。
房子九十平方米左右。
I believe, 大概，左右 both mean: roughly, approximately.
Why should/must 大概 precede and 左右 follow?