直说 (zhí shuì) — to speak frankly, to say something directly | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

直说 (zhí shuō) means to say something straight out, with no softening or hinting. Often used to push the other person to drop 拐弯抹角 and just name the point.

verb

to speak franklyto say something directly

Examples

直说。
Nǐ yǒu shén me xiǎng fǎ jiù zhí shuì ba.
Just say it directly if you have any thoughts.
，直说。
Tā shuō huà hěn zhí, zǒng shì zhí shuì.
He speaks very bluntly and always says things directly.
，直说。
Bié guǎi wān mò jiǎo, zhí shuì jiù xíng.
Don't beat around the bush, just say it straight.

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.

直zhístraight

直 straight + 说 say gives speaking straight, that is, frankly.

Characters in this word

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

目目mùeye
丨丨gǔn?

The earliest form of 直 pairs 目, an eye, with an unclear stroke 丨.

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.

言兌說

Meaning part形符xíngfú

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.

Appears in

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