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意义 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
意义yìyìsenseHSK 5, n, 16 strokes, rank #871, Hard
意义yìyìmeaningHSK 5, n, 16 strokes, rank #871, Hard
意义yìyìsignificanceHSK 5, n, 16 strokes, rank #871, Hard
意义yìyìimportanceHSK 5, n, 16 strokes, rank #871, Hard
yìyì(yi4yi4)yi yi T4
  1. 1sense
  2. 2meaning
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March 24, 2026

意义(意義)yìyì(yi4yi4)

意义 (yìyì) refers to the sense or significance of something, encompassing its meaning and importance. It is commonly used in contexts like discussing the meaning of literature, the importance of an event, or the significance of a decision.

Strokes16Frequency#871DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 意义 is often tied to discussions about life, philosophy, and morality, reflecting a deeper quest for understanding one's place in the world, especially in traditional teachings like Confucianism.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 意 (yì) as a person (亻) with a heart (心) trying to understand the meaning of life. The repetition in 意义 (yìyì) emphasizes that understanding meaning often requires deep contemplation or 'double-checking' our feelings about it.

Meanings of 意义

yìyì(yi4yi4)
1sense
2meaning
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 意义

意义Simplified
意義Traditional
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#871Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2BCT✓CEFRA2

Podcast: 意义

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Podcast: 意义

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AI Study Notes for 意义

Quick Contrast

意义 (yìyì) vs 含义 (hányì) — use 意义 when emphasizing the significance or importance of something, while 含义 focuses more on the implied or underlying meaning.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 意义 with related terms like 意思 (yìsi), which refers more to the idea or implication rather than the broader sense of significance. This term is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but ensure proper tones are used to convey the right meanings.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 意义 connects well with other vocabulary around understanding and interpretation, such as 解释 (jiěshì, explanation) and 重要性 (zhòngyàoxìng, importance). Focus on how this word fits into discussions about significance and context in conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 意义 with 重要性 (importance), thinking they are interchangeable; however, 意义 focuses more on meaning. For example, saying '这件事情的重要性是显而易见的' (The importance of this matter is obvious) is incorrect if the intent is to discuss its meaning rather than its importance.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 意义

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Component Characters

意yìItaly
HSK 313 strokes心
View full entry
义yìjustice
HSK 53 strokes丿
View full entry

How to say sense in Chinese

“sense” in Chinese is意义yìyì

意义 (yìyì) refers to the sense or significance of something, encompassing its meaning and importance. It is commonly used in contexts like discussing the meaning of literature, the importance of an event, or the significance of a decision.

When to use 意义

Be careful not to confuse 意义 with related terms like 意思 (yìsi), which refers more to the idea or implication rather than the broader sense of significance. This term is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but ensure proper tones are used to convey the right meanings.

意义 or something close to it

意义 (yìyì) vs 含义 (hányì) — use 意义 when emphasizing the significance or importance of something, while 含义 focuses more on the implied or underlying meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 意义 with 重要性 (importance), thinking they are interchangeable; however, 意义 focuses more on meaning. For example, saying '这件事情的重要性是显而易见的' (The importance of this matter is obvious) is incorrect if the intent is to discuss its meaning rather than its importance.

Write 意义

意
义

Practice writing 意义 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 意义

意义 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我真的不理解这到底有什么____，简直是愚蠢透顶。

I don't see the point in it really. It's just stupid.

Example Sentences for 意义 (10)

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1
我真的不理解这到底有什么意义，简直是愚蠢透顶。

wǒ zhēn de bù lǐ jiě zhè dào dǐ yǒu shí mó yì yì， ， jiǎn zhí shì yú chǔn tòu。

I don't see the point in it really. It's just stupid.
2
政客们贬低了“自由”一词的意义。

zhèng kè mén biǎn dī le“ “ zì” yóu ” yī cí de。

Politicians have debased the meaning of the word "freedom"
3
从所有这一切中得出的教训可能具有更广泛的意义。

cóng suǒ yǒu zhè yī qiē zhōng dé chū de jiào xùn kě néng jù yǒu gēng guǎng fàn de yì yì。

The lesson from all of this is perhaps a broader one.
4
我一直在致力于推翻有关意义恒定性的谬谈。

wǒ yī zhí zài zhì lì yú tuī fān yǒu guān yì yì héng dìng xìng de miù tán。

I have been working on exploding the myth of fixity of meaning.
5
在一些作品中，花具有强烈的象征意义。

zài yī xiē zuò pǐn zhōng， ， huā jù yǒu qiáng liè de xiàng zhēng yì。

In some works, flowers take on a powerful emblematic quality.
6
当艺术有助于人们了解自身的时候才有真正的意义。

dāng yì shù yǒu zhù yú rén mén le jiě zì shēn de shí hòu cái yǒu zhēn zhèng de yì yì。

Art has real meaning when it helps people to understand themselves.
7
省下来的钱可以用于更有意义的事业。

shěng xià lái de qián kě yǐ yòng yú gēng yǒu yì yì de shì yè。

The money saved could be used for more deserving causes.
8
她不是个真正意义上的女权主义者，但却是个颇具争议的人物。

tā bù shì gè zhēn zhèng yì yì shàng de nǚ quán zhǔ yì zhě， ， dàn què shì gè pō jù zhēng yì de rén。

She's not feminist with a capital F but she's fairly controversial.
9
对于有些人来说，赛跑的全部意义就是竞争。

duì yú yǒu xiē rén lái shuō， ， sài pǎo de quán bù yì yì jiù shì jìng。

For some people, competing is the be-all and end-all of their running.
10
我不想混日子，我想做点更有意义的事情。

wǒ bù xiǎng hùn rì zǐ， ， wǒ xiǎng zuò diǎn gēng yǒu yì yì de shì。

Instead of rushing at life, I wanted something more meaningful.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 意义

You might say, '这件事情的意义很重大' (The significance of this matter is very important).

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