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

Line 33: Line 33:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 意思
+
* 学 中文 很 有 <em>意思</em>,但是 有点 难。<span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén hěn yǒu <em>yìsi</em>, dànshì yǒudiǎn nán.</span><span class="trans">Learning Chinese is fun, but a bit hard.</span>
 +
* 这个 游戏 没 <em>意思</em>,我 不 想 玩 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhège yóuxì méi <em>yìsi</em>, wǒ bù xiǎng wán le.</span><span class="trans">This game is not interesting, I don't want to play it.</span>
 +
* 不好 <em>意思</em>,我 又 迟到 了。<span class="pinyin">Bù hǎo <em>yìsi</em>, wǒ yòu chídào le.</span><span class="trans">Sorry I'm late again.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 08:58, 29 April 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 a wide range of set phrases and is broader in range, 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?What do you mean by 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?

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

  • 意思yǒu yìsiinteresting
  • 意思méi yìsi not interesting
  • 不好 意思bùhǎo yìsisorry
  • 意思意思yìsiyìsito give a gift
  • 明白(你的)意思míngbai (nǐ de) yìsiI know what you mean
  • 什么 意思shénme yìsiwhat do you 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 not interesting, I don't want to play it.
  • 不好 意思,我 又 迟到 了。Bù hǎo yìsi, wǒ yòu chídào le.Sorry I'm late again.

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 yìyìno meaning

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 don't find most of the meetings meaningful.
  • 我 想 做 有 意义 的 工作,不 想 只 赚钱。Wǒ xiǎng zuò yǒu yìyì de gōngzuò, bù xiǎng zhǐ zhuànqián.I wanted to do meaningful work and didn't want to just make money.
  • 大家 都 觉得 这次 旅行 很 有 意义Dàjiā dōu juéde zhècì lǚxíng hěn yǒu yìyì.Everyone thought the trip was meaningful.
  • 我 觉得 这样 做 没有 意义Wǒ juéde zhèyàng zuò méiyǒu yìyì.I don't think it makes sense to do it.
  • 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 it?

Sources and further reading

Websites