HSK 6 · Ideas

定义 dìngyì “definition” in Chinese

Traditional 定義

What 定义 means

  1. definition
  2. to define

How to say 定义

  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale定dìng4th tone, falling
  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale义yì4th tone, falling

定义 in a sentence

  1. 你怎么定义“幸福”？

    Nǐ zěnme dìngyì “xìngfú”?

    How would you define “happiness”?

    Sentence #397546 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  2. 你怎么看待这个词的定义？

    Nǐ zěnme kàndài zhè ge cí de dìngyì?

    What do you think of this word’s definition?

    Sentence #10028117 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  3. 我发现有明确定义的词最容易记住。

    Wǒ fāxiàn yǒu míngquè dìngyì de cí zuì róngyì jìzhu.

    I find words with clear definitions the easiest to remember.

    Sentence #503028 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

How 定义 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 定 (dìng) with each of its parts in a different colour
定dìngto fix; to set; to make definite
  • 宀roof · mián
  • 疋roll of cloth · pǐ

Memory aidA roof 宀 over 正 “upright”, squashed at the bottom so it looks like 疋: settled, fixed.

The character 义 (yì) with each of its parts in a different colour
义yìjustice
  • 丶dot · zhǔ
  • 乂to govern · yìSound part

⺷ hints at the meaning (sheep); 乂 (yì) hints at the sound. Compare it with yì.

How to write 定义

定 8 strokes · 义 3 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

定义 (dìngyì) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 定义 (dìngyì). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 定义

Words with 定

一定yídìng · surely决定juédìng · decide定dìng · to decide肯定kěndìng · to be certain规定guīdìng · to stipulate否定fǒudìng · to negate确定quèdìng · to confirm固定gùdìng · to fix制定zhìdìng · to draw up稳定wěndìng · steady

Words with 义

义务yìwù · duty意义yìyì · sense贬义biǎnyì · negative connotation正义zhèngyì · justice含义hányì · meaning主义zhǔyì · -ism见义勇为jiànyìyǒngwéi · to act bravely for a just cause

More words: Ideas & Concepts

大意dàyì · general idea得不偿失débùchángshī · not worth it等级děngjí · grade地步dìbù · extent递增dìzēng · to increase steadily动机dòngjī · motive动静dòngjing · sound of movement动力dònglì · driving force

FAQs

定义 (dìngyì) means “definition” or “to define”. It is an HSK 6 word.
Say it dìngyì: dìng with a 4th tone, then yì with a 4th tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 定义 is written 定義. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type dingyi with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 定义 from the suggestions. Typing dingyi into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
定义 is an HSK 6 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.