可意 (kě yì) — gratifying, satisfactory

Definition

Literary, written-style adjective meaning 'gratifying, satisfactory' — feels like a set/idiomatic expression rather than everyday speech, so it's mostly seen in formal writing or fixed phrases.

adjective
gratifyingsatisfactory

Examples

  • 可意。
    Zhè ge fāng àn de jié guǒ fēi cháng kě yì.
    The result of this plan is very satisfactory.
  • 可意。
    Tā duì zhè ge ān pái gǎn dào hěn kě yì.
    He feels very satisfied with this arrangement.
  • ，可意。
    Zhè zhǒng shēng huó suī rán jiǎn dān, què hěn kě yì.
    Although this kind of life is simple, it is very satisfactory.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

可kěsuit
意yìmind

可 suggests suiting or satisfying, and 意 is the mind, so it means pleasing.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 意 →

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