(zhǔ yì) - idea, plan; decision in Mandarin
zhǔyìTraditional: 主意
Translation
idea, plan; decision
Word origin
主意 (zhǔyì) 'idea, plan' joins 主 (zhǔ, 'host, main') and 意 (yì, 'meaning, intention'). 主 is a pictograph of a lamp flame on a stand, the steady 'master' light; 意 combines 音 (yīn, 'sound') over 心 (xīn, 'heart'), what the heart sounds out, hence 'thought'.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 主 (zhǔ, pictograph of a lamp flame) + 意 (yì, 音 sound + 心 heart)
Stroke order
主
意
Examples
？
Do you have any good ideas?
。
This is a bad idea.
。
He can always come up with good ideas.
。
That is a good idea.
。
I have changed my mind.
主意 (zhǔ yì) means an idea, plan, or decision. 主 means master or primary and 意 means intention or meaning. Together they suggest a firm, formed idea or a plan of action. Common phrases: 好主意 (good idea), 坏主意 (bad idea), 出主意 (to come up with an idea), 拿主意 (to make a decision / call the shots). Note: 注意 (zhù yì, to pay attention) shares the same pronunciation pattern but different characters and meaning.
Used in
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Go to my review queueThis word is part of lesson 12.