How to say “understand” in Chinese
understand (deeply)
“Understand” in Chinese is 理解, lǐ jiě: the meaning, a recording of how it sounds, the characters stroke by stroke and examples.
How to pronounce it
理解 is read lǐ jiě: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
Two third tones in a row: the first one is said as a second tone, but it is still written as a third.
How to write it
On the left, 王 “jade”; on the right, 里 lǐ hints at the sound.
角 “horn”, 刀 “knife” and 牛 “ox”: cutting up an ox.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “理解”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 理解. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 父母不理解我，我很难过。fùmǔbùlǐjiěwǒ,wǒhěnnánguòMy parents don't understand me, I feel really sad.
- 这件事我怎么跟经理解释？zhèjiànshìwǒzěnmegēnjīnglǐjiěshìHow do I explain this to the manager?
- 每个人都渴望被理解。měigeréndōukěwàngbèilǐjiěEveryone longs to be understood.
More words from the lesson “Being there”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “understand” in Chinese?
“Understand” in Chinese is 理解, pinyin lǐjiě.
What does 理解 mean?
理解 (lǐjiě) means “understand (deeply)”.
How do you write 理解?
理解 is 2 characters: 理 (lǐ) — order; manage; 解 (jiě) — untie, explain. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 理解?
理解 is read lǐjiě. Tones: lǐ — third tone, jiě — third tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“understand” in the lesson “Being there”
This word is from the topic “Family and loved ones” of HSK 4. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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