Comparing "yisi" and "yiyi"
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.
| 意思 (yìsi) | 意义 (yìyì) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | meaning | value, significance |
| Part of Speech | noun | noun |
| Formality | informal | formal |
Contents
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？
- 你能不能解释一下这句话的意思？
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interesting
- 没 意思 not interesting
- 不好 意思sorry
- 意思意思to give a gift
- 明白（你的）意思I know what you mean
- 什么 意思what do you mean
Examples Sentences
- 意思
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the meaning of life
- 没有 意义no meaning
Examples Sentences
- 你 觉得 人生 的 意义 是 什么？What do you think is the meaning of life?
- 有的人 认为 人生 没有 意义，你 呢？Some people think life has no meaning, do you?
