Skip to content
Chinese has always had the title of "one of the hardest languages to learn", do you know why?
Complex phonetic system: Chinese has over 400 phonemes and more than 1,300 pronunciations, including initials, finals, and tones. Compared to other languages, Chinese has a more intricate combination of syllables, requiring learners to master a wide range of pronunciations and tone variations to accurately understand the meaning of different characters and words.
Unique character system: Chinese uses a character-based writing system where each character represents a meaning, rather than being composed of letters to form words. To grasp the writing, structure, and meaning of Chinese characters, extensive memorization and practice are required.
Different grammatical structure: Chinese has significant grammatical differences compared to many Western languages. Chinese lacks the inflections for number and gender, and word order is relatively flexible. Learners need to comprehend and adapt to different grammar rules and expression patterns.
Complex cultural background: Learning Chinese also involves understanding Chinese culture and traditions. Many vocabulary and expressions are closely linked to Chinese culture, history, and ways of thinking, requiring learners to have a certain level of cultural awareness and background knowledge.
Take an example,understanding and correctly using the Chinese word "意思" can indeed pose some challenges for foreigners. This is because "意思" has a broader range of usage and meanings in Chinese, which can sometimes cause confusion with other words.
Firstly, foreigners may simply interpret "意思" as "meaning" or "significance," which is the most basic understanding. However, the issue lies in the fact that "意思" in Chinese can encompass a wider semantic scope.
Secondly, foreigners may struggle with the specific usage of "意思" in different contexts. For example, when asking about the meaning of a word, Chinese speakers may use the expression "这个词是什么意思？" (What does this word mean?) or simply ask "意思？" (Meaning?). This concise way of expression may differ from the more common forms found in other languages, such as "What is...?" or "Can you explain...?", leading to confusion for foreign learners.
Furthermore, foreigners need to pay attention to the distinction between "意思" and other related words. For instance, distinguishing between "意思" and "想法" (idea/thought) requires choosing the appropriate term based on the specific context. Additionally, words related to "意思" include "意图" (intention) and "意向" (intention), which also have subtle differences in their expressions.
In summary, while "意思" is widely used in everyday Chinese communication, understanding its specific meaning and using it correctly may require practice and an understanding of the context. Through continuous learning and interactions with native Chinese speakers, foreigners can gradually grasp and employ the various aspects and usages of this word.
Let's take a look at the following Chinese conversation and think about whether you can understand the real meaning!
阿明给领导送红包时，两人的对话颇有意思。 领导：“你这是什么意思？” 阿明：“没什么意思，意思意思。” 领导：“你这就不够意思了。” 阿明：“小意思，小意思。” 领导：“你这人真有意思。” 阿明：“其实也没有别的意思。” 领导：“那我就不好意思了。” 阿明：“是我不好意思。” 领导：你肯定有什么意思。 阿明：真的没有什么意思。 领导：既然没有什么意思，那你是什么意思？ 阿明：其实，我的意思就是想意思意思。 领导：你既然是想意思意思，那就是有什么意思。 阿明哭了：我就是想意思意思。但是，真的没有什么别的意思。这么个小红包能有什么意思？也就是意思意思而已。 领导笑了：呵呵，有点意思了。 阿明心想：嘻嘻，我就是这个意思。
Can you figure out what the "意思" in this conversation means? Welcome to add HanTok customer service to leave your answer!