暗含 (àn hán) — to imply, to contain implicitly

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to imply, to contain implicitly' — the meaning is hidden inside the words, not stated openly. Common in writing, less so in casual speech.

verb
to implyto contain implicitly

Examples

  • 暗含？
    Tā de huà àn hán zhe shén me yì si?
    What does his words imply?
  • 暗含。
    Zhè ge jué dìng àn hán zhe hěn dà de fēng xiǎn.
    This decision implies great risk.
  • 暗含。
    Tā de biǎo qíng àn hán zhe bù mǎn.
    His expression implies dissatisfaction.

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.

暗ànsecretly
含háncontain

暗 (secretly) shapes 含 (contain), meaning to contain something implicitly.

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
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
音
音yīn暗àn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暗 pairs 日 (sun) with 音, which gives the sound.

Open 暗 →

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kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
今
今jīn含hán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

含 is built from 口 (mouth) and 今 (jīn). The 口 part is about the mouth, while 今 gives the sound.

Open 含 →

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