意味

yìwèi

verb #2,811

Meanings

1 to mean
2 to imply
3 to signify

Characters

meaning; intention

taste; flavor; sense

Examples

这意味着什么？

Zhè yìwèizhe shénme?

What does this mean?

下雨并不意味着我们不能出去。

Xiàyǔ bìngbù yìwèizhe wǒmen bùnéng chūqù.

Rain doesn't mean we can't go out.

他的沉默意味着同意。

Tā de chénmò yìwèizhe tóngyì.

His silence implied agreement.

Tips

grammar

意味 is almost always used with 着 as 意味着. Without 着 it sounds incomplete in modern Chinese.

usage

意味着 is more formal than 表示 (biǎoshì) and often used for abstract implications or consequences.

Stroke Order

意 yì

味 wèi