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讲理 (jiǎng lǐ) — (verb) to reason with, to argue (appealing to reason); (adjective) reasonable, rational

Definition

As an adjective, 讲理 describes a person who is willing to listen to reason — more about attitude than 合理, which describes a fair or sensible plan or decision. As a verb, it means 'to reason with' someone (我跟你讲理).

verb
to reason withto argue (appealing to reason)
adjective
reasonablerational

Examples

  • 讲理，。
    Tā shì gè hěn jiǎng lǐ de rén, bú huì suí biàn fā huǒ.
    He's a very reasonable person and won't make decisions casually.
  • 讲理，。
    Wǒ gēn nǐ jiǎng lǐ, nǐ bú yīng gāi zhè me zuò.
    I'm reasoning with you — you shouldn't do this.
  • 讲理，。
    Zhè ge rén yì diǎn yě bù jiǎng lǐ, nǐ gēn tā méi fǎ gōu tōng.
    This person isn't reasonable at all — you can't communicate with him.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

讲jiǎngdiscuss
理lǐreason

“讲” discusses and “理” reason, so it means to talk about what is reasonable.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 講; 讲 is its simplified writing.

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

The traditional form 講 puts 言, say, beside 冓, which gave it its sound; the simplified 讲 is a later abbreviation.

Open 讲 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Personality & Traits

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.