排解 (pái jiě) — to mediate, to reconcile (a dispute); to relieve, to dispel (loneliness, boredom, etc.)

Definition

Covers two senses: mediating a conflict (dispute, 矛盾) and dispelling a negative feeling (loneliness, boredom, stress). In the emotional sense, it implies actively working the feeling off, stronger than just 消除.

verb
to mediateto reconcile (a dispute)to relieveto dispel (loneliness, boredom, etc.)

Examples

  • 排解。
    Tā bāng wǒ men pái jiě le máo dùn.
    He helped us resolve the conflict.
  • 排解。
    Tā tīng yīn yuè lái pái jiě jì mò.
    She listens to music to relieve loneliness.
  • ，排解。
    Péng you men yì qǐ liáo tiān, pái jiě le wú liáo.
    Friends chatting together relieved the boredom.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

排páiclear away
解jiěresolve

排 and 解 both mean clear away or resolve, so together they mean mediate or dispel.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
非
非fēi排pái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

排 uses 扌 (hand) to show arranging something with the hand, and 非 for the sound; this gives the sense of placing things in a line.

Open 排 →

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

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.