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说不清 (shuō bù qīng) — cannot explain clearly; cannot be certain, don't know for sure

Definition

说不清 is a resultative verb meaning 'can't explain clearly / can't say for sure' — the focus is on the inability to articulate, not on uncertainty in general.

verb
cannot explain clearlycannot be certaindon't know for sure

Examples

  • ，说不清。
    Shuí lái le wǒ yě bù zhī dào, wǒ yě shuō bù qīng.
    I don't know who's coming either — I can't say for sure.
  • 说不清。
    Lián zhuān jiā dōu shuō bù qīng zhè jiàn shì de yuán yīn.
    Even experts can't clearly explain the reason for this matter.
  • ，说不清。
    Tā wèi shén me cí zhí, shuí yě shuō bù qīng.
    Nobody can say for sure why he quit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

说shuōsay
不清not clear
不bùnot清qīngclear
偏正Modifier + head

说 gives the action of speaking, while 不清 shows that it is not clear.

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 說; 说 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
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.

Open 说 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng清qīng
Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

Open 清 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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