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含义 (hán yì) — implied meaning; hidden meaning; connotation; significance

Definition

含义 is the implicit or deeper meaning carried by a word, gesture, or symbol — what is suggested rather than stated directly. More focused on 'connotation / hidden meaning' than 意义, which centers on general 'meaning' or 'significance'.

noun
implied meaninghidden meaningconnotationsignificance

Examples

  • 含义。
    Zhè ge shǒu shì zài bù tóng wén huà zhōng yǒu bù tóng de hán yì.
    This gesture has different meanings in different cultures.
  • 含义，。
    Tā shuō de nà jù huà hán yì hěn shēn, nǐ yào zǐ xì xiǎng xiǎng.
    The implication of what he said is very deep; you need to think carefully.
  • 含义？
    Zhè shǒu shī de xiàng zhēng hán yì shì shén me?
    What is the symbolic meaning of this poem?

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.

含háncontain
义yìmeaning

contain and meaning combine to mean the meaning contained.

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
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 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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