情理之中 (qíng lǐ zhī zhōng) — to be within reason; to be natural and expected; to be understandable

Definition

Set phrase meaning 'within reason' — something is natural and expected, fitting both emotion (情) and logic (理). Used to affirm that an outcome makes sense.

idiom
to be within reasonto be natural and expectedto be understandable

Examples

  • ，情理之中。
    Tā dé le dì yī míng, zhè shì qíng lǐ zhī zhōng de shì.
    He got first place — this is to be expected.
  • ，情理之中。
    Péng you yù dào kùn nan, wǒ men bāng máng yě shì qíng lǐ zhī zhōng.
    When a friend encounters difficulty, it is only natural that we help.
  • ，，情理之中。
    Tiān qì zhè me rè, dà jiā dōu xiǎng chī bīng gùn, wán quán zài qíng lǐ zhī zhōng.
    With the weather so hot, everyone wants popsicles — that's completely within reason.

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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