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两码事 (liǎng mǎ shì) — two entirely different things; two separate matters

Definition

Used to emphasize that two things are fundamentally different and shouldn't be confused — stronger than 不一样, which is just 'not the same'. Pairs with 是…，不是一回事.

noun
two entirely different thingstwo separate matters

Examples

  • 两码事，。
    Gōng zuò hé shēng huó shì liǎng mǎ shì, bù néng hùn wéi yì tán.
    Work and life are two entirely different things — they can't be lumped together.
  • 两码事，。
    Pī píng hé wǔ rǔ wán quán shì liǎng mǎ shì, nǐ yào fēn qīng chǔ.
    Criticism and insult are two completely different things — you need to distinguish them.
  • ，两码事。
    Tā yǐ wéi wǒ zài shēng qì, qí shí nà shì liǎng mǎ shì.
    He thought I was angry, but that's a different matter entirely.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

两码two kinds
两liǎngtwo码mǎkind
偏正Modifier + head
事shìmatter

两 means two, 码 means kind, and 事 means matter, so together they mean two kinds of matters.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 兩; 两 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 兩 is described as combining 一 and 㒳. The simplified 两 is a later abbreviation.

Open 两 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 碼; 码 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shístone; rock
Sound part声符shēngfú
馬
馬mǎ碼mǎ
Same sound today

The traditional form 碼 pairs 石 (stone) with 馬 for its sound; the simplified 码 is a later shorthand.

Open 码 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Open 事 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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