意思
HSK 2 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)Old HSK 2
意思 (yìsi) · meaning
意思 (yìsi) means “meaning; idea; interest”. It is written with 2 characters: 意 (thought) + 思 (to think). It is an HSK 2 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 意思 is built
The characters
意 yì · thought
What 意 is made of
- 音yīn — sound
- 立lì — to stand
- 亠tóu — lid
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 立lì — to stand
- 心xīn — heart
Origin hint: 心 gives the meaning, 音 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
思 sī · to think
What 思 is made of
- 田tián — field
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
- 心xīn — heart
Origin hint: Weighing something with your mind 囟 (altered) and heart 心 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
这个字是什么意思？Zhège zì shì shénme yìsi?What does this character mean?
我明白你的意思。Wǒ míngbai nǐ de yìsi.I understand what you mean.
Questions about 意思
What does 意思 mean?
意思 (yìsi) means “meaning; idea; interest”.
How do you pronounce 意思?
意思 is pronounced yìsi.
Which HSK level is 意思?
意思 is in HSK 2 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 2.
Related words
- 不好意思bùhǎoyìsisorry
- 故意gùyìon purpose
- 满意mǎnyìsatisfied
- 意见yìjiànopinion
- 有意思yǒu yìsiinteresting
- 愿意yuànyìto be willing
- 生意shēngyibusiness
- 同意tóngyìto agree
- 意外yìwàiunexpected
- 意义yìyìmeaning
Learn 意思 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 42: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.