Questions tagged [meaning]
Questions about understanding the meaning of words, phrases, etc. For in-context meaning, use [meaning-in-context].
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What is the literal translation of this: 摊主是位上了年纪、身材瘦小的老人?
...，整齐漂亮的毛笔字能充分地显示出书摊主人的文化水平。摊主是位上了年纪、身材瘦小的老人，总是穿着一件灰色长衫，...
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 20. I need your help in literal translating this: 摊主是位上了年纪、身材瘦小的老人。
So far, this is ...
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How to literally translate this: 看完连书带钱交给摊主?
租借小人书很便宜，在摊里看，每册1分钱，选好书坐下就看，看完连书带钱交给摊主；
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 20.
How to literally translate this: 看完连书带钱交给摊主?
I know that 看完 here means reading finished or reading ...
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What's up with these bizarre noodle cooking instructions?
I recently purchased a pack of Yángjì Shānyě brand Nanchang noodles (阳际山野南昌拌粉). On one side of the package, under the straightforward label 食用指南, it has the following sequence of three labeled images:
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Is 结尾 a (separable) verb?
Tatoeba has the sentence
这个故事仓促地结了尾。
wherein 结尾 is being used as a separable verb. Honestly, before seeing this sentence, I didn't even realize 结尾 could be used as a verb.
CC-CEDICT includes a verb ...
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Does “XX是什么样的人？” refer mostly, and maybe only, to personality?
My family is made of Chinese natives while I am bilingual. My dad sometimes asks me questions like “你的老师是什么样的人？” before lightly chastising me that the askers of such questions usually want to know ...
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Help understand this: 每本小人书都用牛皮纸加了层封皮，封皮上用毛笔写上书名
为了减少损坏程度，每本小人书都用牛皮纸加了层封皮，封皮上用毛笔写上书名，整齐漂亮的毛笔字能充分地显示出书摊主人的文化水平。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 20. I need your help in understanding this: 每本小人书都用牛皮纸加了层封皮，封皮上用毛笔写上书名,...
Actually ...
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What does "現代修真" mean?
現代修真
Is a type/category of novel, but what does it mean in English?
現代
Is basically modern, but what would
修真
mean in this case?
If 修真 means "Cultivating True Virtue", it doesn't seem to ...
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How to literally translate this: 会因为费用增加而让投资人不高兴?
大导演非常着急，一来，耽误了时间，日程就得重新安排；二来，会因为费用增加而让投资人不高兴，至于这部影片的投资人，...
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 26.
How to literally translate this: 会因为费用增加而让投资人不高兴?
I have reached to the following ...
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If A伴随着B, then is it true that B伴随着A?
CC-CEDICT: 伴随 (bànsuí) to accompany / to follow / to occur together with / concomitant
I saw on Tateoba the sentence
闪电常常伴随着雷鸣。
Lightning is usually followed by thunder.
The English sentence ...
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What is the meaning of 重重 in 尽管他们背着重重的行李?
他雇了20来个当地人为他带路和搬运行李。这批当地人个个都表现出色，尽管他们背着重重的行李，但他们的脚力过人，健步如飞。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 26. What is the meaning of 重重? How to make it make sense?
尽管(despite)他们(they)背着(...
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Best phrasing vertically
I am practicing Chinese style painting and I would like to integrate Chinese lettering into my art, the goal being to make complete traditional pieces with a poem vertically written included.
My first ...
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What is the meaning of 脚力过人 in 尽管他们背着重重的行李，但他们的脚力过人，健步如飞?
他雇了20来个当地人为他带路和搬运行李。这批当地人个个都表现出色，尽管他们背着重重的行李，但他们的脚力过人，健步如飞。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, segment 26. What is the meaning of 脚力过人?
Baidu translate: Despite carrying heavy luggage, ...
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Meaning of 他希望自己的知識面能更加寬闊
他希望自己的知識面能更加寬闊
What does 面 mean here? It seems unnecessary because 他希望自己的知識能更加寬闊 is much more clearer. Thanks.
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信息 vs 資訊: what's the difference?
I asked ChatGPT and I got the following response, is this correct?
"信息" (information) has a broader and more general use about being data/facts/information, while "资讯" (news) is ...
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Difference between 悠閒 and 優閒
Are these adjectives or nouns? They both look to me to mean relaxing/to relax, so what's the difference? Thanks.
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Differences between 知识，知，识，知感 and 认识？
“知识” 两个字我始终认为它是要分开来谈的，“知” 就是知感，“识” 就是认识。所谓 “知感” 就是别人告诉你、说给你听、要求你记住的那一部分。但只有这一部分是不够的，还要有认识、思考。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 22.
I would appreciate if you explain the ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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(...
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Teapot signature/symbol/character
Could anyone tell me what this symbol at the bottom of a teapot stands for? Thank you![This is a tea set I found in my mother’s house a few years ago]
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What is written on these paintings and does it have any meaning?
Someone I know has a small business in buying/selling things.
She asked if I know what the painting says as I know a limited amount of Japanese. while I couldn't read it even if it was Japanese, I ...
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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(...
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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.
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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&...
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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?
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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, ...
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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，...
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Can you help identify seal markings?
I have over 40 ink paintings that I am trying to identify, flowers, fish, humans, horse etc. They are painted on very thin paper with Chinese writing.
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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" ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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(...
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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 ...
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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 .
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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? ...
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What kind of function does 了 have here? 不让我送就以为我没办法了
I think that it is a change of situation, but then I can't understand what the change is here. Please, explain to me
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What's the difference between 不能，买不到，不用？
Recently i saw such sentences as "火车站的东西真不能买” and " 以后的事，以后再说；而不能肯定的事不要说” 。 I know that 能 means " be able to... " but I'm confused in these sentences . Can you explain its meaning ...
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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: ...
...
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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)...
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Can anyone decipher this (1)?
The following is what I found on the door of a shop. I can recognize some of them but not all of them. I think the first four are 國舅手執陰陽板、湘子瑤池品玉簫, the fourth one is 品玉簫, and the sixth 長生酒.
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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!
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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.
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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,...
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