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很难说 (hěn nán shuō) — it's hard to say; it's difficult to tell; it's uncertain

Definition

A fixed expression used to hedge or express uncertainty — 'it's hard to say / difficult to tell.' Works as a one-clause reply or splits across a sentence to frame a question.

verb
it's hard to sayit's difficult to tellit's uncertain

Examples

  • ，很难说。
    Tā huì bú huì lái, hěn nán shuō.
    It's hard to say whether he'll come or not.
  • ？很难说。
    Zhè jiàn shāng pǐn de zhì liàng zěn me yàng? hěn nán shuō.
    What's the quality of this product like? Hard to tell.
  • 很难说，。
    hěn nán shuō Míng tiān huì bú huì xià yǔ, tiān qì yù bào yě bù zhǔn.
    It's hard to say whether it will rain tomorrow — the forecast isn't reliable either.

Origin

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn很hěn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

很 is made from 彳, which points to its meaning, and 艮, which gives its sound.

Open 很 →

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.

Open 难 →

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 說; 说 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì說shuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 說 pairs 言 (meaning) with 兌 (sound); the simplified 说 is not the form described here.

Open 说 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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