HSK 4 · Verbs

理解 lǐjiě “to comprehend” in Chinese

Said as líjiě

Same in Traditional

What 理解 means

  1. to comprehend
  2. to understand

How to say 理解

  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale理lǐ3rd tone, dipping
  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale解jiě3rd tone, dipping

Said as líjiě. When two third tones meet, the first one rises into a second tone. You still write it with two third tones. How tone changes work

理解 in a sentence

  1. 我的父母不理解我。

    Wǒ de fùmǔ bù lǐjiě wǒ.

    My parents don’t understand me.

    Sentence #933955 from Tatoeba

  2. 我不理解你的意思。

    Wǒ bù lǐjiě nǐ de yìsi.

    I don’t get what you mean.

    Sentence #10649046 from Tatoeba

  3. 有的地方不能理解。

    Yǒude dìfang bù néng lǐjiě.

    There are some parts I can’t understand.

    Sentence #13505779 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

How 理解 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 理 (lǐ) with each of its parts in a different colour
理lǐtexture
  • 王king · wángMeaning part
  • 里village · lǐSound part

王 hints at the meaning (king); 里 (lǐ) hints at the sound. Compare it with lǐ.

Memory aid王 here is jade 玉: cutting jade along its grain. 里 (lǐ) gives the sound: to put in order, reason.

The character 解 (jiě) with each of its parts in a different colour
解jiěto divide
  • 角horn · jiǎo
  • 刀knife · dāo
  • 牛cow · niú

Memory aidA knife 刀 taking the horn 角 off an ox 牛: to take apart, to explain.

How to write 理解

理 11 strokes · 解 13 strokes

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

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

Words related to 理解

Words with 理

经理jīnglǐ · manager理想lǐxiǎng · an ideal理发lǐfà · to get a haircut修理xiūlǐ · to repair整理zhěnglǐ · to arrange管理guǎnlǐ · to supervise办理bànlǐ · to handle处理chǔlǐ · to handle合理hélǐ · rational心理xīnlǐ · psychology

Words with 解

解决jiějué · settle a dispute了解liǎojiě · comprehend解释jiěshì · explanation缓解huǎnjiě · to bring relief解剖jiěpōu · to dissect辩解biànjiě · to justify误解wùjiě · to misunderstand解除jiěchú · to remove解散jiěsàn · to dissolve解体jiětǐ · to disintegrate

More words: Thinking & Talking

解释jiěshì · explanation拒绝jùjué · to refuse看法kànfǎ · way of looking at a thing考虑kǎolǜ · to think over理想lǐxiǎng · an ideal联系liánxì · to contact梦mèng · dream能力nénglì · capability

FAQs

理解 (lǐjiě) means “to comprehend” or “to understand”. It is an HSK 4 word.
Say it lǐjiě: lǐ with a 3rd tone, then jiě with a 3rd tone. In speech it sounds like líjiě. When two third tones meet, the first one rises into a second tone. You still write it with two third tones. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 理解 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type lijie with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 理解 from the suggestions. Typing lijie into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
理解 is an HSK 4 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.