Difference between revisions of "Comparing "yisi" and "yiyi""

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意思 and 意思 are both nouns that are similar in the fact that they both can be used to mean “meaning”, yet they are used in different contexts and situations. 意思 is used in informal situations, whereas 意义 is used in formal settings. The use of 意思 is much wider than that of 意义, most often 意思 used in the sense of understanding what speech or written word “means”, or the direction of a trend. 意义 is most often used to mean “value” or “significance”.
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意思 (yìsi) and 意义 (yìyì) are both nouns that mean "meaning," but with different nuances. 意思 is used in informal situations, and in a wide range of set phrases. 意思 is broader in range of meaning, whereas 意义 is used in formal settings in less colloquial ways.
  
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== 意思 and 意义 both mean "meaning" and are sometimes roughly interchangeable ==
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Note that using 意思 sounds more casual, and using 意义 sounds more serious in the following examples.
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<div class="liju">
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* 你 这样 做 有 什么 <em>意思</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng zuò yǒu shénme <em>yìsi</em>?</span><span class="trans">Is there any meaning in doing this?</span>
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* 你 能 不 能 解释 一下 这句 话 的 <em>意思</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng bù néng jiěshì yīxià zhè jù huà de <em>yìsi</em>?</span><span class="trans">Can you explain the meaning of this statement?</span>
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* 你 做 这件 事 的 <em>意义</em> 是 什么？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuò zhè jiàn shì de <em>yìyì</em> shì shénme?</span><span class="trans">What is the point of you doing this?</span>
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</div>
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== 意思 is used in a wide array of colloquial expressions ==
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意思 can mean "meaning," but it can also indicate interestingness and other feelings.
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=== Common Phrases ===
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<div class="liju dapei">
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* 有 <em>意思</em><span class="pinyin">yǒu <em>yìsi</em></span><span class="trans">interesting</span>
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* 没 <em>意思</em><span class="pinyin">méi <em>yìsi</em></span><span class="trans">uninteresting, boring</span>
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* 不好<em>意思</em><span class="pinyin">bùhǎo<em>yìsi</em></span><span class="trans">embarrassed, "sorry"</span>
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* <em>意思 意思</em><span class="pinyin"><em>yìsi yìsi</em></span><span class="trans">"just a small gift"</span>
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* 明白（你的）<em>意思</em><span class="pinyin">míngbai (nǐ de) <em>yìsi</em></span><span class="trans">I know what (you) mean</span>
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* 什么 <em>意思</em><span class="pinyin">shénme <em>yìsi</em></span><span class="trans">what do you mean, what does that mean</span>
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</div>
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=== Examples Sentences ===
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<div class="liju">
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* 学 中文 很 <strong>有</strong> <em>意思</em>，但是 有点 难。<span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén hěn <strong>yǒu</strong> <em>yìsi</em>, dànshì yǒudiǎn nán.</span><span class="trans">Learning Chinese is fun, but a bit hard.</span>
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* 这个 游戏 <strong>没</strong> <em>意思</em>，我 不 想 玩 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhège yóuxì <strong>méi</strong> <em>yìsi</em>, wǒ bù xiǎng wán le.</span><span class="trans">This game is boring. I don't want to play it.</span>
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* <strong>不好</strong><em>意思</em>，我 又 迟到 了。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Bùhǎo</strong><em>yìsi</em>, wǒ yòu chídào le.</span><span class="trans">Sorry, I'm late again.</span>
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* 你 的 女朋友 要 过 生日 了，你 是 不 是 应该 <em>意思意思</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de nǚpéngyou yào guò shēngrì le, nǐ shì bù shì yīnggāi <em>yìsiyìsi</em>？</span><span class="trans">Your girlfriend's birthday is coming up. Shouldn't you give her a little something?</span>
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* 我 不太 <strong>明白</strong> 你的 <em>意思</em>，你 可以 解释 一下 吗？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bùtài <strong>míngbai</strong> nǐ de <em>yìsi</em>, nǐ kěyǐ jiěshì yīxià ma?</span><span class="trans">I don't quite understand what you mean, can you explain?</span>
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* 这 句 中文 是 <strong>什么</strong> <em>意思</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zhè jù Zhōngwén shì <strong>shénme</strong> <em>yìsi</em>？</span><span class="trans">What does this Chinese sentence mean?</span>
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</div>
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== 意义 means "significance" in a serious way ==
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意义 is much more focused and narrow. 没有意义 is, quite straightforwardly, "meaningless." You won't typically say something you don't mean with 意义 (although your conversations are likely to be much more serious).
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=== Common Phrases ===
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<div class="liju dapei">
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* 人生 的 <em>意义</em><span class="pinyin">rénshēng de <em>yìyì</em></span><span class="trans">the meaning of life</span>
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* 没有 <em>意义</em><span class="pinyin">méiyǒu <em>yìyì</em></span><span class="trans">meaningless</span>
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* 毫无 <em>意义</em><span class="pinyin">háowú <em>yìyì</em></span><span class="trans">utterly meaningless</span>
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</div>
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=== Examples Sentences ===
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<div class="liju">
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* 你 觉得 <strong>人生 的</strong> <em>意义</em> 是 什么？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ juéde <strong>rénshēng de</strong> <em>yìyì</em> shì shénme?</span><span class="trans">What do you think is the meaning of life?</span>
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* 有的人 认为 <strong>人生</strong> <strong>没有</strong> <em>意义</em>，你 呢？<span class="pinyin">Yǒuderén rènwéi rénshēng <strong>méiyǒu</strong> <em>yìyì</em>, nǐ ne?</span><span class="trans">Some people think life has no meaning. Do you?</span>
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* 我 觉得 大 部分 会议 都 <strong>没有</strong> <em>意义</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde dà bùfen huìyì dōu <strong>méiyǒu</strong> <em>yìyì</em>.</span><span class="trans">I find most meetings meaningless.</span>
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* 大家 都 觉得 这次 旅行 很 有 <em>意义</em>。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu juéde zhècì lǚxíng hěn yǒu <em>yìyì</em>.</span><span class="trans">Everyone feels this trip was very meaningful.</span>
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</div>
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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Websites ===
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* [https://m.iask.sina.com.cn/b/6eMFE0jjTa7.html “意思”和“意义”]

Latest revision as of 04:26, 3 May 2022

意思 (yìsi) and 意义 (yìyì) are both nouns that mean "meaning," but with different nuances. 意思 is used in informal situations, and in a wide range of set phrases. 意思 is broader in range of meaning, whereas 意义 is used in formal settings in less colloquial ways.











B1HSK5ASV4567
意思 (yìsi) 意义 (yìyì)
Meaning meaning value, significance
Part of Speech noun noun
Formality informal formal

意思 and 意义 both mean "meaning" and are sometimes roughly interchangeable

Note that using 意思 sounds more casual, and using 意义 sounds more serious in the following examples.

  • 你 这样 做 有 什么 意思？Nǐ zhèyàng zuò yǒu shénme yìsi?Is there any meaning in doing this?
  • 你 能 不 能 解释 一下 这句 话 的 意思？Nǐ néng bù néng jiěshì yīxià zhè jù huà de yìsi?Can you explain the meaning of this statement?
  • 你 做 这件 事 的 意义 是 什么？Nǐ zuò zhè jiàn shì de yìyì shì shénme?What is the point of you doing this?

意思 is used in a wide array of colloquial expressions

意思 can mean "meaning," but it can also indicate interestingness and other feelings.

Common Phrases

  • 有 意思yǒu yìsiinteresting
  • 没 意思méi yìsiuninteresting, boring
  • 不好意思bùhǎoyìsiembarrassed, "sorry"
  • 意思 意思yìsi yìsi"just a small gift"
  • 明白（你的）意思míngbai (nǐ de) yìsiI know what (you) mean
  • 什么 意思shénme yìsiwhat do you mean, what does that mean

Examples Sentences

  • 学 中文 很 有 意思，但是 有点 难。Xué Zhōngwén hěn yǒu yìsi, dànshì yǒudiǎn nán.Learning Chinese is fun, but a bit hard.
  • 这个 游戏 没 意思，我 不 想 玩 了。Zhège yóuxì méi yìsi, wǒ bù xiǎng wán le.This game is boring. I don't want to play it.
  • 不好意思，我 又 迟到 了。Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ yòu chídào le.Sorry, I'm late again.
  • 你 的 女朋友 要 过 生日 了，你 是 不 是 应该 意思意思？Nǐ de nǚpéngyou yào guò shēngrì le, nǐ shì bù shì yīnggāi yìsiyìsi？Your girlfriend's birthday is coming up. Shouldn't you give her a little something?
  • 我 不太 明白 你的 意思，你 可以 解释 一下 吗？Wǒ bùtài míngbai nǐ de yìsi, nǐ kěyǐ jiěshì yīxià ma?I don't quite understand what you mean, can you explain?
  • 这 句 中文 是 什么 意思？Zhè jù Zhōngwén shì shénme yìsi？What does this Chinese sentence mean?

意义 means "significance" in a serious way

意义 is much more focused and narrow. 没有意义 is, quite straightforwardly, "meaningless." You won't typically say something you don't mean with 意义 (although your conversations are likely to be much more serious).

Common Phrases

  • 人生 的 意义rénshēng de yìyìthe meaning of life
  • 没有 意义méiyǒu yìyìmeaningless
  • 毫无 意义háowú yìyìutterly meaningless

Examples Sentences

  • 你 觉得 人生 的 意义 是 什么？Nǐ juéde rénshēng de yìyì shì shénme?What do you think is the meaning of life?
  • 有的人 认为 人生 没有 意义，你 呢？Yǒuderén rènwéi rénshēng méiyǒu yìyì, nǐ ne?Some people think life has no meaning. Do you?
  • 我 觉得 大 部分 会议 都 没有 意义。Wǒ juéde dà bùfen huìyì dōu méiyǒu yìyì.I find most meetings meaningless.
  • 大家 都 觉得 这次 旅行 很 有 意义。Dàjiā dōu juéde zhècì lǚxíng hěn yǒu yìyì.Everyone feels this trip was very meaningful.

Sources and further reading

Websites

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