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解释 (jiě shì) — to explain; to interpret

Definition

解释 is the everyday 'to explain / interpret' — broader than 说明 (which often points to instructions or a written explanation) and less scholarly than 解读 or 阐释.

verb
to explainto interpret
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 解释？
    Nǐ néng jiě shì yí xià zhè ge wèn tí de yì si ma?
    Can you explain the meaning of this question?
  • 解释？
    Nǐ zěn me jiě shì zuó tiān fā shēng de shì qing?
    How do you explain what happened yesterday?
  • 解释。
    Tā xiàng lǎo shī jiě shì le chí dào de yuán yīn.
    He explained to the teacher the reason for being late.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

解jiěexplain
释shìexplain

Both 解 and 释 mean to explain, giving the sense of making something clear.

Characters in this word

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

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 釋; 释 is its simplified writing.

  • 釆釆biànto distinguish
  • 睪睪yìto release; to see

The traditional form 釋 puts 釆 (to distinguish) beside 睪, a part that gives the sound and means “to release; to see”; the simplified 释 is a later shortened shape.

Open 释 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 41000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsCommunication & Speech2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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