Difference between revisions of "Comparing "jieshi" and "shuoming""

(Created page with "Both 解释 and 说明 mean to explain or clarify and sometimes can be used interchangeably. Both can be used in informal and formal settings. A key difference between these t...")
 
 
(6 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 +
{{stub}}
 
Both 解释 and 说明 mean to explain or clarify and sometimes can be used interchangeably. Both can be used in informal and formal settings. A key difference between these two words is 说明 can also be used to mean to prove.
 
Both 解释 and 说明 mean to explain or clarify and sometimes can be used interchangeably. Both can be used in informal and formal settings. A key difference between these two words is 说明 can also be used to mean to prove.
  
−
<table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
+
{{SimilarWordsCol1|解释|jiěshì|to explain, to clarify|verb|flexible}}
−
<tr>
+
{{SimilarWordsCol2|说明|shuōmíng|to explain, to clarify, to prove|verb and noun|flexible}}
−
<th style="width:24%"> </th>
+
{{SimilarWordsPageInfo|B2|HSK4|ASV4567}}
−
<th style="width:33%">解释 (jiěshì)</th>
+
{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
−
<th style="width:33%">说明 (shuōmíng)</th>
 
−
</tr>
 
−
<tr>
 
−
<th>Meaning</th><td>to explain, to clarify</td><td class="liju"> to explain, to clarify, to prove</td>
 
−
</tr>
 
−
<tr>
 
−
<th>Part of Speech</th><td>verb</td><td class="liju">verb and noun</td>
 
−
</tr>
 
−
<tr>
 
−
<th>Formality</th><td>flexible</td><td class="liju">flexible</td>
 
−
</tr>
 
−
</table>
 
  
−
== To say to read, to watch, or look at use  看 (kàn)  ==
 
  
−
This one is pretty clear, to describe a situation in which someone is reading a book, watching tv, taking in a sporting event or performance on tv or in person, or even enjoying the scenery only 看 (kàn) can be used.
+
== To say to explain or to clarify both 解释 and 说明 can be used ==
  
 
=== Common Phrases ===
 
=== Common Phrases ===
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
−
* 看书
+
* 请～一下
−
* 看杂志
 
−
* 看电视
 
−
* 看电影
 
−
* 看风景
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
−
=== Example Sentences ===
+
== To say to prove only 说明 can be used. ==
  
 +
== 解释 is used in fixed patterns that cannot be substituted. ==
  
−
* 儿子在 <em>看</em> 书，别打扰他了。
+
=== Fixed Patterns ===
−
* 你喜欢 <em>看</em> 电视吗？
 
−
* 咱们去 <em>看</em> 一场电影，怎么样？
 
−
* 王老师喜欢 <em>看</em> 球。
 
−
* 咱们去 <em>看</em> 一场电影，怎么样？
 
−
* 周末要不要去剧院 <em>看</em> 演出？
 
−
* 我喜欢 <em>看</em> 风景。
 
−
 
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
 
−
== To say to visit someone use 看 (kàn) ==
 
−
 
 
−
If you want to describe a situation in which you visit someone, as in going on a vacation to see relatives, visiting someone’s home to catch up, etc. use 看 (kàn).
 
−
 
 
−
=== Common Phrases ===
 
−
 
 
−
Look below and you can see that here 看 (kàn) and 见 (jiàn)’s use is very similar; just remember, using 看 (kàn) emphasizes to visit.
 
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
−
* <em>看</em> 家人
+
* 解释清楚
−
* <em>看</em> 朋友
+
* 解释明白
−
* <em>看</em> 老师
 
−
* 去 <em>看</em> 你 <span class="pinyin">qù <em> kàn </em> nǐ</span><span class="trans"> go visit you </span>
 
−
 
 
−
=== Example Sentences ===
 
−
 
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
* 我们要利用暑假去 <em>看</em> 家人。
 
−
* 我们今天去南京 <em>看</em> 朋友。
 
−
* 我去 <em>看</em> 你。
 
−
* 张老师来我们家 <em>看</em> 我们。
 
−
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
−
== To say to see someone use 见 (jiàn) ==
+
== 说明 is used in fixed patterns that cannot be substituted. ==
−
 
 
−
If you want to describe a situation in which you go and see someone use 见 (jiàn).  
 
−
 
 
−
=== Common Phrases ===
 
  
−
Again, as you know from above, here 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn)’s use is very similar; just keep in mind that using 见 (jiàn) emphasizes to see.
+
=== Fixed Patterns  ===
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
−
* <em>见</em> 家人
+
* 说明情况
−
* <em>见</em> 朋友
+
* 说明历史
−
* <em>见</em> 老师
+
* 说明书
−
* 去 <em>见</em> 你 <span class="pinyin">qù <em> kàn </em> nǐ</span><span class="trans"> go visit you </span>
 
−
 
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
 
−
=== Example Sentences ===
 
−
 
 
−
<div class="liju">
 
−
* 今天 晚上 我 会 去 <em>见</em> 朋友 。
 
−
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
−
== To say to meet up with someone use 见 (jiàn) ==
+
== Only 说明 can be used as a noun to mean “an explanation”.  ==
−
 
 
−
=== Common Phrases ===
 
  
−
Meeting up with someone is often used in fixed phrases.
+
=== Example sentences ===
−
 
 
−
<div class="liju dapei">
 
−
* 明天见
 
−
* 下次加
 
−
* 晚上见
 
−
* 一会儿见
 
−
* 明年见
 
−
* 好久不见
 
−
 
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
 
−
=== Example Sentences ===
 
−
 
 
−
While 见 (jiàn) is used in fixed phrases to mean “meet up”, it can also be used to mean “meet up” in the sense of have an encounter or have interaction with someone.
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
−
* 好久 不 <em>见</em>！
+
* 你有没有什么说明？
−
* 我们 下 星期 <em>见</em>。
 
−
* 他 今天 非常 忙 ， 没 时间 <em>见</em> 你 了 。
 
−
* 虽然我们俩都在成都，但是我很忙，没时间 <em>见</em> 他。
 
−
* 十 年 没 <em>见</em> 他 ， 他 的 变化 很 大 。
 
−
* 那个 女孩儿 很 好，<em>见</em> 过 她 的 人 都 很 喜。
 
−
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
−
 
−
== To say to catch sight of something/someone both 见 (jiàn) and  看 (kàn) can be used interchangeably and have the same meaning ==
 
−
 
−
Think of something like this… you’re in a crowd, you can see your friends, but they can’t see you, or you see someone at the store from afar, but they don’t see you, even something like your friend finally sees you in a big crowd after you have been yelling their name repeatedly… In these situations, it’s fair to use “catch sight of” to describe what’s going on, both 见 (jiàn) and  看 (kàn) can be used in these situations.
 
−
 
−
=== Common Phrases ===
 
−
 
−
In these common phrases, both 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) can be used interchangeably and both mean to catch sight of something/someone.
 
−
 
−
<div class="liju dapei">
 
−
* <em>见</em> 到了
 
−
* <em>看</em> 到他了
 
−
* <em>见</em> 不到
 
−
* <em>看</em> 不到你们
 
−
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
−
=== Example Sentences ===
 
−
 
−
In the following sentences, both 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) can be used interchangeably with the same meaning.
 
−
 
−
<div class="liju">
 
−
 
−
* 我 <em>看</em> 到了。
 
−
* 小李 <em>看</em> 到我们。
 
−
* 广场的人太多，小刘还没 <em>见</em> 到你，你喊他一下吧。
 
−
* 昨天在买东西的时候，我们 <em>看</em> 到校长。
 
−
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
−
=== Common Phrases ===
 
−
 
−
These common phrases '''only''' work with 看：
 
−
 
−
* ～书
 
−
* ～电视
 
−
* ～医生
 
−
* ～风景
 
−
* ～情况
 
−
 
−
=== Example Sentences ===
 
−
 
−
In the following sentences, '''only''' 看 can be used:
 
−
 
−
<div class="liju">
 
−
* 我喜欢 <em>看</em> 风景。
 
−
* 在旅游的时候，我们最喜欢的是 <em>看</em> 风景，不怎么喜欢爬山，参观博物馆什么的。
 
−
* 咱们去 <em>看</em> 一场电影，怎么样？
 
−
* 儿子在 <em>看</em> 书，别打扰他了。
 
−
* 王老师喜欢 <em>看</em> 球。
 
−
* 那条消息你 <em>看</em> 到了吗？
 
−
* 他爸爸身体有点不舒服，最好要去 <em>看</em> 病。
 
−
* 明天我不知道有没有空出去玩，<em>看</em> 情况吧。
 
−
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
−
 
−
* 明天 我 没有 时间，我 要 去 <em>看</em> 我的 家人。
 
−
我 听说 她 最近 不开心，我 想 去 <em>看</em> 她。
 
−
 
−
 
−
1. 下课之后我要去见朋友。
 
−
2. 我很久没有见过我老师了。
 
−
3. 你今天要去见她吗？
 
−
4. 今天不能和你一起去吃饭了，我要去见客户。
 

Latest revision as of 01:27, 24 May 2022

This article is a stub. Editors can help the Chinese Grammar Wiki by expanding it.

Both 解释 and 说明 mean to explain or clarify and sometimes can be used interchangeably. Both can be used in informal and formal settings. A key difference between these two words is 说明 can also be used to mean to prove.











B2HSK4ASV4567
解释 (jiěshì) 说明 (shuōmíng)
Meaning to explain, to clarify to explain, to clarify, to prove
Part of Speech verb verb and noun
Formality flexible flexible


To say to explain or to clarify both 解释 and 说明 can be used

Common Phrases

  • 请～一下

To say to prove only 说明 can be used.

解释 is used in fixed patterns that cannot be substituted.

Fixed Patterns

  • 解释清楚
  • 解释明白

说明 is used in fixed patterns that cannot be substituted.

Fixed Patterns

  • 说明情况
  • 说明历史
  • 说明书

Only 说明 can be used as a noun to mean “an explanation”.

Example sentences

  • 你有没有什么说明？
Retrieved from "https://resources.allsetlearning.com/vocabwiki/?title=Comparing_%22jieshi%22_and_%22shuoming%22&oldid=3323"