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广义 (guǎng yì) — broad sense; general sense

Definition

广义 (guǎng yì) means the broad or general sense of a term, often paired with its opposite 狭义 (xiá yì, narrow sense) to contrast a wide vs. restricted definition.

noun
broad sensegeneral sense

Examples

  • 广义，。
    Cóng guǎng yì shàng lái shuō, zhè liǎng gè gài niàn shì xiāng tóng de.
    In a broad sense, these two concepts are the same.
  • 广义，。
    Zhè ge cí jì kě yǐ yòng yú guǎng yì, yě kě yǐ yòng yú xiá yì.
    This word can be used in both a broad sense and a narrow sense.
  • 广义。
    guǎng yì De dìng yì bāng zhù wǒ men gèng hǎo dì lǐ jiě zhè ge lǐng yù.
    The broad definition helps us better understand this field.

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.

广guǎngbroad
义yìsense

“广” (broad) tells the kind of “义” (sense) meant.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 廣; 广 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
黃
黃huáng廣guǎng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 廣 combines 广 (meaning part) with 黃 (sound part); the simplified 广 is a later shorthand, not the full historical shape.

Open 广 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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