详细 (xiáng xì) — detailed; in detail | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Means 'detailed / in detail' — used for descriptions, plans, or reports that cover things thoroughly. Weaker than 详尽, which means exhaustive; 详细 is the everyday word.

adjective

detailedin detail

Examples

详细。
Tā néng bǎ shì qing shuō dé hěn xiáng xì.
He can describe things in great detail.
详细。
Qǐng gěi wǒ yí fèn xiáng xì de jì huà.
Please give me a detailed plan.
详细。
Zhè fèn dì tú huà dé hěn xiáng xì.
This map is drawn in great detail.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

详xiángcareful

详细 joins 详 (careful) and 细 (fine) to mean very detailed.

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 詳; 详 is its simplified writing.

言羊詳

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspeech

Sound part声符shēngfú

羊

羊yáng詳xiáng

Same sound today

In the traditional form 詳, 言 points to speech, and 羊 supplies the sound.

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

囟

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

Appears in

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