意会

意會

yìhuì

verb #35,216

Meanings

1 to grasp intuitively
2 to understand without being told
3 to sense the meaning

Characters

meaning, intent

to understand, can

Examples

这种感觉只可意会，不可言传。

Zhè zhǒng gǎnjué zhǐ kě yìhuì, bù kě yánchuán.

This kind of feeling can only be grasped, not put into words.

他没说完，我也意会到了。

Tā méi shuō wán, wǒ yě yìhuì dào le.

Even though he didn't finish his sentence, I caught his meaning.

Tips

usage

Almost always paired with 言传 'put into words' in the famous saying 只可意会，不可言传 — 'something you can only sense, not articulate'. Captures a very Chinese aesthetic of unspoken understanding.

Stroke Order

意 yì

会 huì