真意 (zhēn yì) — true meaning; real intention | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

true meaningreal intention

Examples

，真意。
Zhǐ yǒu zhēn zhèng lǐ jiě zuò zhě de shēng huó, cái néng tǐ huì dào zhè piān wén zhāng de zhēn yì.
Only by truly understanding the author's life can one appreciate the true meaning of this article.
，真意？
Tā shuō de nà xiē huà, dào dǐ yǒu shén me zhēn yì ne?
What is the true meaning behind the words he said?
真意，。
Zhè shǒu gǔ shī de zhēn yì, xū yào fǎn fù sòng dú cái néng lǐng wù.
The true meaning of this classical poem requires repeated recitation to comprehend.

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.

意yìmeaning

真 and 意 make true meaning or real intention.

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

貝貝bèicowrie; shell

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠂈

𠂈𠂈真zhēn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Thinking & Cognition

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