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定义 (dìng yì) — (noun) definition; (verb) to define

Definition

定义 is the everyday 'definition' (noun) and 'to define' (verb), used broadly for words and concepts. 界定 is more formal and focuses on setting the boundaries or scope of a concept.

noun
definition
verb
to define

Examples

  • 定义，。
    Zhè ge dìng yì hěn qīng chǔ, wǒ men yì yǎn jiù néng kàn dǒng.
    This definition is very clear — we can understand it at a glance.
  • 定义。
    Qǐng nǐ dìng yì yí xià zhè ge zhuān yè shù yǔ.
    Please define this technical term.
  • 定义。
    Fǎ lǜ shàng de dìng yì bì xū yán jǐn.
    Definitions in law must be rigorous.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

定dìngfix
义yìmeaning

定 means fix, 义 means meaning; together they express fixing a meaning.

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →

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 Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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