了解 (liǎojiě) · to understand
了解 (liǎojiě) means “to understand; to know about; to learn about; to find out”. It is written with 2 characters: 了 (particle for completed action or change) + 解 (to explain). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 了解 is built
The characters
了 le · particle for completed action or change
What 了 is made of
- 乛 — bent stroke
- 亅 — hook
Origin hint: A child swaddled in blanklets; compare 子 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
解 jiě · to explain
What 解 is made of
- 角jiǎo — angle
- ⺈ — top shape
- 用yòng — to use
- 冂 — frame
- 刀dāo — knife
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 牛niú — ox
Origin hint: To cut 刀 the horns 角 off of an ox 牛; 角 also provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
Questions about 了解
What does 了解 mean?
了解 (liǎojiě) means “to understand; to know about; to learn about; to find out”.
How do you pronounce 了解?
了解 is pronounced liǎojiě.
Which HSK level is 了解?
了解 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 4 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Related words
- 除了chúleexcept
- 极了jíleextremely
- 为了wèilein order to
- 了不起liǎobuqǐamazing
- 受不了shòubùliǎocan't stand
- 不得了bùdéliǎoextremely
- 大不了dàbuliǎoat worst
- 一目了然yīmùliǎoránclear at a glance
- 了leparticle for completed action or change
- 解决jiějuéto solve
It is part of HSK 4 (2021) · Group 82: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.