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寻思 (xún si) — (colloquial) to ponder, to mull over

Definition

寻思 (xúnsi) means 'to mull over' — quiet, internal thinking about a decision or idea, often for a moment (cf. 一下). Colloquial; pairs naturally with 了 + duration.

verb
(colloquial) to ponderto mull over

Examples

  • 寻思。
    Tā zuò zài nà r xún si le bàn tiān.
    He sat there pondering for a long time.
  • 寻思，。
    Wǒ xún si le yí xià, jué de zhè ge zhǔ yì bú cuò.
    I thought it over and felt this idea was pretty good.
  • 寻思？。
    Nǐ xún si shén me ne? zhè me rù shén.
    What are you mulling over? You're so absorbed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

寻xúnseek
思sīthink

寻 gives seeking, and 思 gives thinking, together meaning to mull over.

Characters in this word

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

寻 is formed from 又 (hand) and 寸 (hand).

Open 寻 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
囟
囟xìn思sī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 思, 心 (heart) points to thinking, while the top part is a changed form of 囟, which supplied the sound.

Open 思 →
Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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