释义 (shì yì) — (verb‑object) to explain the meaning; to interpret; to paraphrase

Definition

A formal verb-object compound meaning 'to explain the meaning (of a word or text)'. It is more literary and explanatory than simply 说, and is the standard term used in dictionaries and glosses.

verb
(verb‑object) to explain the meaningto interpretto paraphrase
Easily confused

Examples

  • 释义。
    Lǎo shī zhèng zài gěi xué shēng men shì yì kè wén.
    The teacher is explaining the text to the students.
  • ，释义？
    Zhè duàn gǔ wén hěn nán, nǐ néng bāng wǒ shì yì yí xià ma?
    This ancient text is really hard — could you help me paraphrase it?
  • ，。
    Tā shì le bàn tiān yì, wǒ hái shì méi tīng dǒng.
    He spent ages explaining the meaning, but I still didn't get it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

释shìto explain
义yìmeaning

释 means to explain, and 义 means meaning; together they name explaining the meaning.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 釋; 释 is its simplified writing.

  • 釆釆biànto distinguish
  • 睪睪yìto release; to see

The traditional form 釋 puts 釆 (to distinguish) beside 睪, a part that gives the sound and means “to release; to see”; the simplified 释 is a later shortened shape.

Open 释 →

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 →

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