难题 (nán tí) — difficult problem | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

难题 is a noun for a hard problem or puzzle to solve. It names the problem itself, unlike 困难 (the difficulty you face) or 难度 (the level of difficulty).

noun

difficult problem

Measure word · 个

难题。
Tā wèn le yí gè nán tí.
He asked a difficult question.
难题。
Yù dào nán tí bú yào pà.
When you encounter a difficult problem, don't be afraid.
难题。
Lǎo shī bāng wǒ zuò zhè ge nán tí.
The teacher helps me do this difficult problem.

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.

难nándifficult

题típroblem

难 ('difficult') and 题 ('problem') together mean a problem that is hard to solve.

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 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

隹隹zhuībird

Sound part声符shēngfú

暵

暵hàn難nán

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

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 題; 题 is its simplified writing.

是頁題

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

是

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 题, the traditional form 題 uses 是 for sound and 頁 for head, and means 'forehead'.

Appears in