Questions tagged [meaning-in-context]
Questions about understanding words or phrases within a given context.
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What’s with “一题问题”?
Duolingo keeps drilling me on this sentence:
我不懂这一题问题
My question is, why “一题问题”? It looks to me as though 一题, coming as it does after 这, were being used as a classifier for 问题. But according to ...
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In these phrases what is the 量词 个 doing?
I got these examples from the book I am struggling to read, 《名词和动词》沈家煊
My brain is blocked! I have been trying to understand arcsine(x) since yesterday, but I can't do maths!
It is said 个 is a count ...
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What is the meaning of 结束退场时 in 却常常忽视结束退场时的准备?
比如说为了一场戏剧演出，我们会投入很多时间，准备服装、化妆、道具、舞台美术，以创造良好的效果，争取给观众留下一个好的印象，却常常忽视结束退场时的准备。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5 section 17.
What is the meaning of 结束退场时? end leaving the theater time?
Why do ...
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What did Liu Cixin mean by: In this book, a man named “humanity” confronts a disaster?
In a postscript to the American edition of The Three-Body Problem / 三体, the author says:
In science fiction, humanity is often described as a collective. In
this book, a man named “humanity” ...
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What does 一个泡子 mean?
What does 一个泡子 really mean ? my teacher had asked our class to do some assignment about our names in chinese and find the meaning too. I use chinese simplified in google translate to find my name. but ...
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How do I understand ChatGPT's joke: 为什么音乐家总是迟到？因为他们总是在调音！?
I asked ChatGPT (3.5 turbo) for some examples of 双关语 = "puns". Among its examples is:
为什么音乐家总是迟到？因为他们总是在调音！
Why are musicians always late? Because they're always tuning. [my translation]
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What does 抢高 mean?
Example: 在求过于供下，自然抢高租金，一有放盘就会大排长龙。
Obviously it involves raising the price.
Who is the subject here? Is it the landlords who rob (抢) the tenants by raising (高) the price, or the renters who rush and ...
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Difference between 必须得 and 一定要 in context
For example, if I want to say, "for this class you gotta have a cup of coffee (to stay awake)", should I say 你一定要有咖啡 or 你必须的有咖啡? Note that in this context, I am not demanding that the person ...
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If 为, meaning 'for...', takes the reading [wèi] why, in the following examples, is [wéi] being used?
I had learned that 为 'for the purpose/sake of' took the reading 'wèi'. However, I have seen several instances of 'wéi' being used to mean the same thing. Are these readings interchangeable or is 'wéi' ...
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What about the meaning "actually" for 所 mentioned in many dictionaries?
Many online dictionaries (dictionary.writtenchinese.com, yellowbridge.com, chine.in/mandarin/dictionnaire/, app.ninchanese.com/search, etc...) mention the meaning "actually" ("en ...
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Is this sentence correct? 我把梦想献给李白的诗
I know it's a very easy sentence, but I'm afraid it could sound strange to the natives.
Could you confirm me that you would say "I dedicate my dreams to Li Bai's poem" in this way?
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What does 欩 [chāo] mean?
Google translates 爷爷上山去欩柴。as, 'Grandad went up the mountain to get firewood.'.
Both Wiktionary and Chinesetools.com include this character, but give no meaning for it. I wondered if it were a rarely ...
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Nuance of 知道了 versus 明白了
In the WeTV version of Three Body Problem (ep. 12, minute 12:31) Wang Miao tells detective Shi Qiang not to smoke in front of Wang Miao's daughter. While the detective hates being told not to smoke, ...
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What does "绝地" mean?
I am reading a novel and I have encountered this word "绝地", I thought the author made a mistake at first and meant "觉得" but I have been seeing "绝地" pop up more and more ...
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In 凡是长毛的，都不容易养育, is 长 pronounced chánɡ or zhǎnɡ?
This is from the story 《猫经》 in the May edition of 《意林》:
像人一样，猫也有猫相。凡是长毛的，都不容易养育，毛掉得一家都是，怎么清理也不干净。而且这些猫种常患病，命也短。要养的话，最重要的是要选头大的，大头猫永远是比较可爱的。 (photo of original text; digital version)
I'm not sure if ...
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What exactly is a 祝版, and how is it used in ceremonies?
In the chengyu story behind 入木三分 (rù mù sān fēn), the emperor has a 祝版 created for a ceremony in which he makes sacrifices to his ancestors. I did some initial searches and found that a 祝版 is wooden ...
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Can ''Algeria'' name in Chinese be changed?
I had this idea for a while in my mind.
It is known that Algeria in Chinese language is 阿尔及利亚, which is a direct translation from it's English equivalent.
In Arabic, Algeria is called الجزائر (Al-Jaza'...
Mou某♦
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What role does 一种 have in 一种似曾相识的感觉?
In 一种似曾相识的感觉, 一种 does not mean “one type of”. Removing 一种 does not seem to change anything. Comparing the following, I can’t tell any difference.
这是我第一次来苏州，却有一种似曾相识的感觉。
这是我第一次来苏州，却有似曾相识的感觉。
So what ...
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What is a meaning of 一口 in 他会说一口标准的英语?
他会说一口标准的英语
He can speak standard English.
So I think that 一口 can be omitted and still the sentence can make sense.
How actually 一口 work in this sentence?
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What does 悶 mean in the context of cookery?
I've seen 悶 being used in more than one recipe, and Google typically translates it as "stuffy", which doesn't really make sense given the context. Looking at alternative translations, "...
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What is the meaning of 开锅 in 便可开锅了?
接下来，拿一个平底锅，先在锅里淋一圈油，待油锅烫手时，将切好的萝卜饼一块一块地放进锅里。盖锅前须放进一些温水，预防糊底。火最好用文火，等能闻到香味时，便可开锅了。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 19. What is the meaning of 开锅? To start boiling or to open the ...
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Why does "每天我都得吃药 Měitiān wǒ dū dé chī yào" include "dū"?
From my understanding 每天我都得吃药 (Měitiān wǒ dū dé chī yào)
都 = All, both, entirely etc.
So my understanding of the English translation would be "Everyday I have to take medicine"
Also I know &...
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What does 其 in 不得其死 mean?
What does 其 mean in this particular example?
不得其死:
不得其死，汉语成语，拼音是bù dé qí sǐ，意思是指人不得好死。也表示对恶人的诅咒。出自《论语·先进》
(from baike.baidu.com)
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What is the meaning of 人们不是常说吗?
如今，美食家们对吃提出了更高的要求。他们不仅要观色、闻香、尝味、赏形，而且还要求食物具有养生方面的特色。我想，家乡的萝卜饼完全具备这几个方面的条件，人们不是常说吗——“鱼生火，肉生痰，青菜萝卜保平安”，养生的功能，让我更加喜爱它了。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 19.
What is the meaning of ...
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What is the meaning of 趁 in 萝卜饼要趁热吃?
...火最好用文火，等能闻到香味时，便可开锅了。萝卜饼要趁热吃，喜欢口味重的，还可以加少许酱油和醋。...
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 19. What is the meaning of 趁?
萝卜饼(radish cake)要(must)趁(you take advantage of that being)热(...
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Historical background in 《亮剑》 relating to organization of National Revolutionary Army
I am trying to understand the exact meaning of the military terms used in the text at the very beginning of the first episode of the show 亮剑 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WAnpfEbR5s), and in ...
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What is the meaning of 方面的特色 in 而且还要求食物具有养生方面的特色?
如今，美食家们对吃提出了更高的要求。他们不仅要观色、闻香、尝味、赏形，而且还要求食物具有养生方面的特色。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 19. I don't understand the meaning of 方面的特色。Actually, I cannot make the need of both words ...
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What is the implication of 东鄙？
Is 东鄙 something like, " the barbaric East"? More generally, not a place a gentleman would choose to visit? Or was it actually the name of a city or town or region?
1. 齐侯阳虎，将**东**之。《左传·定公九年》
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What is the meaning of 将切好 in 将切好的萝卜饼一块一块地放进锅里?
接下来，拿一个平底锅，先在锅里淋一圈油，待油锅烫手时，将切好的萝卜饼一块一块地放进锅里。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 19. What is the meaning of 将切好?
Probably 将 means soon or also, and 切好 means cut done, or cut ...
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What is the meaning of 块状 in 最后用刀切成块状?
高手往往把面擀得薄如白纸，拌好的萝卜丝儿铺到饼上后，得再折叠两三次，要求饼熟之后表皮是透明的，能透过表皮看见萝卜丝儿。最后用刀切成块状，饼便做好了。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 19. What is the meaning of 块状? pieces great? pieces form? That is said ...
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What is the meaning of 带着 in 红的辣中带着甜?
家乡的萝卜有青、红、紫三种。三种萝卜看起来赏心悦目，吃起来，青的甜中带点儿辣，红的辣中带着甜，紫的像山泉般清淡可口。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 19.
Please help me understand this part: 红的辣中带着甜. I have reached into that point:
红的(...
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What is going on in the following clause? ( 是非成敗謊言面對糾纏 )
This is taken from a song lyrics by AccuseFive.
我們都在愛裡面找答案
是非成敗謊言面對糾纏
時晴時雨 靈魂的一半
擁抱自我還容易簡單
Song lyrics are always vague, but in the second line I can't even identify what part of speech function ...
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How should 而 be understood in the "为了大好前程而赏赐"?
The following sentence is from a song lyric by AccuseFive. I don't think more context is needed for this question
常常处于被告知是为了大好前程而赏赐
I can see two ways of understanding 而 in this clause, and I'm sure ...
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How should I understand 掰 ("to break off") in 掰着手指数数 ("to count on one's fingers")?
掰着手指数数
The above (along with 掰着手数数 and 掰着手指头数数) seems to mean "to count on one's fingers" (ref.), however I'm a little confused as to why 掰 is in here:
CC-CEDICT: 掰 (bāi): to break off or ...
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Does "要超高15天" mean "15 days at most" or "more than 15 days"?
I asked my supplier how long to produce something in green color.
做绿色的要多长时间？
They replied
要超高15天
Does "要超高15天" mean "15 days at most" or "more than 15 days"?
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What does 气场全开 mean?
Reading a sentence "37岁秦岚登T台走秀气场全开秀迷人天鹅颈", I check online the meaning of the idiom 气场全开,which is given as 自己不说话，站在那里别人都怕自己 (you scare the other people with your silence), but that sounds ...
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What does "单表" mean in the following context?
The following quote is from a a 17th century story written in vernacular Chinese:
话中单表一人，姓蒋名德，小字兴哥，乃湖广襄阳府枣阳县人氏。
The English translation is as follow:
The story is about a man named Jiang De, also ...
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开始和起来有什么不同？to start + verb
When used with another verb 开始 and 起来 both convey the meaning: to start doing something. Are they synonymous in that specific usage?
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Parsing "的" as adjective suffix?
判断学校好坏的标准有很多，不过我认为老师的水平的最主要的。
I've interpreted above sentence as follows using ungrammatical English for reading Chinese with ease.
Judging a school's good points and bad points 's criteria there ...
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What does 卷 mean in 当你刚开始想卷的时候?
In a vlog made by a Chinese vlogger about the possibility of working and earning money in Germany, he said, “德国的社会制度就象一个熨斗，当你刚开始想卷的时候，它一下子就把你烫平了。”
What does the sentence mean? What does the word 卷 ...
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What does 届 mean?
I guess this word means a term of an official post, but now we also find words like 这一届网友不吃你这一套 or 这一届群众没那么容易欺骗了，so what does the word really mean?
今年举办的欧洲杯是第几届？what exactly does that mean? Does it ...
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How does 含金量非常得高 work?
学历教育与非学历教育的区别是学历教育的社会认可度比较高，一般来说在学校进行的全日制的教育方式以及成人继续教育这种国家发放学历证书的就是学历教育，其毕业的时候所获得的毕业证书和学位证书在现在的社会上认可度更高，在放到什么地方都能适用的，这也是很多人在接受教育的时候愿意选择的教育方式，含金量非常得高。
学历教育与非学历教育的区别是什么, Beiwai Online, 2018.
The above-...
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What does 对性 in 因为对性疫苗的保护会随着时间的推移而降低 mean?
古纳迪希望未来新冠肺炎的剧增，不会对我国人民产生重大影响。希望继续保持很高的免疫水平，因为在未来六个月内，我国公民的免疫水平将很低，因为对性疫苗的保护会随着时间的推移而降低。
卫长：千万不可掉以轻心，印尼要闻，2022年08月26日
I'm not clear on what 对性 means in the last part here. I'm guessing 对 means "...
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How should I parse 整个候选人赛14盘比赛?
In (international) chess news regarding next year's word championship:
整个候选人赛14盘比赛，丁立人低开高走，前8盘战绩仅为1负7和，后6盘则是4胜1和1负。
孙海光, 首获男子国象世界冠军战资格，丁立人有信心捅破“窗户纸”丨专访, September 2022.
It's referring to the ...
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How to literally translate this sentence: 志愿者同时欣赏原作和画面元素被调整后的画作?
另一个实验是这样，志愿者同时欣赏原作和画面元素被调整后的画作，包括静物画和抽象画。结果，几乎每个人都更喜欢原作。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 18.
Please help me understand the literal translation of this sentence: ...
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How to literally translate the 由人类艺术家挥笔 in 志愿者普遍更喜欢的作品都是由人类艺术家挥笔完成的?
也许有人认为，在这种情况下根本不可能分辨出来。然而在每一次测试中，志愿者普遍更喜欢的作品都是由人类艺术家挥笔完成的。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 18. How to literally translate this part: 由人类艺术家挥笔?
I have reached at this point:
志愿者(...
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What is the meaning of 拉 in 在下面一拉篮筐就能把球弹出来?
有一位工程师甚至专门制造出一种机器，在下面一拉篮筐就能把球弹出来。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 13.
What is the meaning of 拉? In dictionaries there are many meanings, such as to pull, to drag, to play, to ...
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Why does someone in our apartment complex yell something like "dòuhé" at around 8am?
Basically every morning at around 8am, there's someone outside my apartment in Beijing yelling something that sounds like dòuhé, which is audible in everyone's apartment.
I managed to record him ...
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What is the meaning of 封闭式 in 四合院内便形成一个封闭式的小环境？
只要关闭起大门，四合院内便形成一个封闭式的小环境。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 14.
What is the meaning of 封闭式？
I understand that 封闭 means "closed" and 式 means "style/type", yet ...
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What does 着急 mean in 我们不能太着急 in the context of exam-oriented education (应试教育) versus all-round education (素质教育)?
This text is talking about 应试教育 versus 素质教育。In this sentence the last phrase is a bit unclear.
应该说已经推动了应试教育向素质教育的转变，但是这个转变非常艰难，是一个痛苦的漫长的过程，我们不能太着急。
Dictionaries say ‘着急’ means 'worry, feel anxious'...
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