暗示 (àn shì) — to hint, to suggest | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

暗示 means to hint indirectly, leaving the meaning unsaid. Unlike 建议 or 提议, which make an open suggestion, 暗示 is covert — the listener has to infer it. 示意 is a non-verbal signal, while 暗示 can be verbal or through tone.

verb

to hintto suggest

Examples

暗示。
Tā àn shì zì jǐ bù xǐ huan zhè ge jì huà.
He hinted that he doesn't like this plan.
暗示？
Nǐ néng àn shì yí xià gāi zěn me zuò ma?
Can you hint at how to do it?
暗示。
Lǎo shī àn shì wǒ men kǎo shì huì hěn nán.
The teacher suggested that the exam would be very difficult.

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

暗 'secretly' modifies 示 'show', giving to hint.

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.

日音暗

Meaning part形符xíngfú

日日rìsun

Sound part声符shēngfú

音

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.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

示 began as a drawing of an altar. Extra strokes were added to keep it distinct from unrelated old forms.

Appears in

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