毫无疑问 (háo wú yí wèn) — without a doubt; there is no doubt

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'without a doubt / undoubtedly', used as a standalone adverbial to confirm or emphasize a statement. Stronger and more emphatic than a plain 肯定.

verb
without a doubtthere is no doubt

Examples

  • 毫无疑问
    háo wú yí wèn, Tā shì zuì hǎo de xué shēng.
    Without a doubt, he is the best student.
  • 毫无疑问
    Zhè háo wú yí wèn shì zhèng què de jué dìng.
    This is undoubtedly the right decision.
  • 毫无疑问
    háo wú yí wèn, Wǒ men yīng gāi zhī chí zhè ge jì huà.
    Without a doubt, we should support this plan.

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.

The written form 毫 is built from 高 and 毛.

Open 毫 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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

  • standing human figure
  • zhǐtilted head with open mouth
  • gǔncane

疑 depicts a standing figure 大 with a tilted, open-mouthed head 夂 and a cane 丨, a confused person looking around for direction.

Open 疑 →

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 問; 问 is its simplified writing.

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

The traditional form 問 combines 口 (mouth) with 門, which gives the sound; the simplified 问 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 问 →

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