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

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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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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 don't find most of the meetings meaningful.</span>
 
* 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 don't find most of the meetings meaningful.</span>
* 我 想 做 有 <em>意义</em> 的 工作,不 想 只 赚钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng zuò yǒu <em>yìyì</em> de gōngzuò, bù xiǎng zhǐ zhuànqián.</span><span class="trans">I wanted to do meaningful work and didn't want to just make money.</span>
 
 
* 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 thought the trip was meaningful.</span>
 
* 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 thought the trip was meaningful.</span>
 
* 我 觉得 这样 做 <strong>没有</strong> <em>意义</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèyàng zuò <strong>méiyǒu</strong> <em>yìyì</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't think it makes sense to do it.</span>
 
* 我 觉得 这样 做 <strong>没有</strong> <em>意义</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèyàng zuò <strong>méiyǒu</strong> <em>yìyì</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't think it makes sense to do it.</span>

Revision as of 09:15, 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?
  • 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?

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bù hǎo 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 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 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.
  • 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 yìsiyìsiYour girlfriend's birthday is coming up, shouldn't give her a gift?
  • 我 不 太 明白 你 的 意思,你 可以 解释 一下 吗?Wǒ bù tài 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 yìsiWhat does this Chinese phrase 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 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.
  • 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.

Sources and further reading

Websites