cíyǔ: 词语 - Word, Term, Vocabulary

• Keywords: ciyu, 词语, Chinese vocabulary, Chinese words, what does ciyu mean, learn Chinese terms, word in Chinese, cí, dāncí, difference between ci and ciyu, Chinese building blocks
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 词语 (cíyǔ), the fundamental Chinese concept for “word” or “term.” This guide explains what 词语 is, how it forms the basis of Chinese vocabulary, and how it differs from a single character (`字`) or a “vocabulary list word” (`单词`). Mastering 词语 is essential for any beginner looking to move beyond individual characters and start forming meaningful sentences in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cíyǔ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A word or term, especially one composed of two or more Chinese characters.
• In a Nutshell: `词语` is the standard, everyday term for “word” in Chinese. While a single character (`字`) can sometimes be a word, most meaningful concepts in modern Mandarin are expressed using `词语`—combinations of two or more characters. Think of characters as the “letters” or “building blocks,” and `词语` as the “words” you build with them. Learning `词语` is how you learn Chinese vocabulary.

• 词 (cí): This character means “word” or “phrase.” It's made of two parts: the “speech” radical `言 (yán)` on the left, and `司 (sī)`, which means “to manage” or “control.” So, `词` represents a “managed” or defined unit of speech—a word.
• 语 (yǔ): This character means “language” or “speech.” It also contains the “speech” radical `言 (yán)`, combined with `吾 (wú)`, an old way of saying “I” or “me.” So, `语` evokes the idea of “my speech” or the language a person speaks.

Together, 词语 (cíyǔ) literally combines “word” and “language.” This creates a comprehensive term that refers to the words and phrases that constitute a language. It's the most common and neutral way to talk about the vocabulary you use to speak and write.

The concept of `词语` is fundamentally important to understanding the structure of the Chinese language. It highlights a key difference from English. In English, we learn letters, and letters form words. The “word” is the primary unit of meaning. In Chinese, you learn characters (`字 zì`), and characters combine to form `词语`. For a beginner, this is a crucial mental shift. While a single character like `人 (rén - person)` can be a word on its own, it's far more common to see it as part of a two-character `词语` like `人民 (rénmín - the people)` or `女人 (nǚrén - woman)`. The meaning becomes more specific and stable when characters are combined. Comparison to “Word” in English: The English word “word” can be a single letter (e.g., “a” or “I”). A Chinese `词语`, however, almost always refers to a unit of at least one, and most commonly two or more, characters. The focus in Chinese is not on the individual character's meaning in isolation, but how it functions within a `词语`. Learning Chinese is less about memorizing thousands of individual characters and more about learning the few thousand common `词语` they form.

`词语` is a high-frequency, neutral term used in almost any context where language is discussed.

• In Education: This is the term a teacher uses when introducing new vocabulary. You will see it in textbooks, on vocabulary lists (along with `生词 shēngcí`, “new words”), and in dictionaries. A teacher might say, “今天我们学习十个新词语” (Today we're learning ten new words).
• In Daily Conversation: When you encounter a word you don't understand, you can point to it and ask, “这个词语是什么意思？” (What does this word/term mean?). It's the default way to refer to a specific vocabulary item.
• On Social Media and Online: People use it to discuss language, slang, or specific terminology. For example, someone might post about a new internet slang term and call it a “网络词语” (wǎngluò cíyǔ - internet word).

It's neither formal nor informal—it's the standard.

• Example 1:
  • 老师教了我们很多新的词语。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī jiāo le wǒmen hěn duō xīn de cíyǔ.
  • English: The teacher taught us a lot of new words.
  • Analysis: This is a classic classroom context. `词语` here refers to the new vocabulary items for the lesson.
• Example 2:
  • 我不明白这个词语的意思，你能解释一下吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù míngbai zhège cíyǔ de yìsi, nǐ néng jiěshì yīxià ma?
  • English: I don't understand the meaning of this word, can you explain it?
  • Analysis: A perfect, practical sentence for any learner. `词语` refers to a single, specific term that is causing confusion.
• Example 3:
  • 写文章的时候，要注意词语的搭配。
  • Pinyin: Xiě wénzhāng de shíhou, yào zhùyì cíyǔ de dāpèi.
  • English: When writing an essay, you need to pay attention to word choice/collocation.
  • Analysis: This shows a more advanced use. `词语的搭配` (cíyǔ de dāpèi) means “word collocation”—which words naturally go together.
• Example 4:
  • “开心”和“高兴”是意思很近的词语。
  • Pinyin: “Kāixīn” hé “gāoxìng” shì yìsi hěn jìn de cíyǔ.
  • English: “Kāixīn” and “gāoxìng” are words with very similar meanings.
  • Analysis: Here, `词语` is used to compare and categorize different vocabulary items.
• Example 5:
  • 我想找一个合适的词语来形容我的心情。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng zhǎo yī ge héshì de cíyǔ lái xíngróng wǒ de xīnqíng.
  • English: I want to find a suitable word to describe my feelings.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the use of `词语` when searching for the “right word” to express an idea.
• Example 6:
  • 这个词语在口语中很常用。
  • Pinyin: Zhège cíyǔ zài kǒuyǔ zhōng hěn chángyòng.
  • English: This word is very common in spoken language.
  • Analysis: `词语` is used here to discuss the register or context (spoken vs. written) of a vocabulary item.
• Example 7:
  • 他的中文很好，知道很多有用的词语。
  • Pinyin: Tā de Zhōngwén hěn hǎo, zhīdào hěn duō yǒuyòng de cíyǔ.
  • English: His Chinese is very good; he knows a lot of useful words.
  • Analysis: A simple sentence praising someone's vocabulary knowledge.
• Example 8:
  • 这是一个比较正式的词语，平时聊天很少用。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yī ge bǐjiào zhèngshì de cíyǔ, píngshí liáotiān hěn shǎo yòng.
  • English: This is a relatively formal term; it's rarely used in casual conversation.
  • Analysis: This highlights how `词语` can be qualified with adjectives like “formal” (`正式`) or “informal” (`非正式`).
• Example 9:
  • 你能用这个词语造个句吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng yòng zhège cíyǔ zào ge jù ma?
  • English: Can you make a sentence using this word?
  • Analysis: A common request from a language teacher or partner. “造句” (zàojù) means to make a sentence.
• Example 10:
  • 很多中⽂词语都由两个汉字组成。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō Zhōngwén cíyǔ dōu yóu liǎng ge Hànzì zǔchéng.
  • English: Many Chinese words are composed of two Chinese characters.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly summarizes the core concept of `词语` itself.

The biggest point of confusion for learners is the difference between `词语` and similar-sounding terms. `词语 (cíyǔ)` vs. `单词 (dāncí)`

• `词语 (cíyǔ)`: The general, all-purpose word for “word” or “term.” It refers to a word as a unit of meaning in the language.
• `单词 (dāncí)`: Literally “single word.” This term is used almost exclusively in a language-learning context. It refers to a word as an *item on a list to be memorized*—like a flashcard. When you say “I need to memorize vocabulary,” you'd use `背单词 (bèi dāncí)`. You wouldn't say `背词语 (bèi cíyǔ)`.
• Mistake: Using `单词` in general conversation when you just mean “word.” For example, asking “What does this `单词` mean?” sounds a bit strange, like you're asking “What does this 'vocabulary list item' mean?”. Use `词语` instead: “这个词语是什么意思？” (Correct).

`词语 (cíyǔ)` vs. `字 (zì)`

• `字 (zì)`: Character. The logographic symbol itself. `好` is one `字`.
• `词语 (cíyǔ)`: Word. A unit of meaning, usually made of one or more `字`. `你好` is one `词语` made of two `字`.
• Mistake: Pointing to the two-character word `朋友 (péngyou)` and asking “What does this `字` mean?”. It's not one `字`, it's one `词语`. You should ask, “这个词语是什么意思？” (Correct).

• 字 (zì) - Character. The fundamental written unit that combines to form `词语`.
• 单词 (dāncí) - A “single word,” specifically in the context of a vocabulary list for memorization.
• 词汇 (cíhuì) - Vocabulary; lexicon. Refers to the entire stock of words a person knows or that exists in a language. It's a more abstract and collective noun than `词语`.
• 生词 (shēngcí) - New word. A vocabulary item that a learner has not yet studied.
• 句子 (jùzi) - Sentence. The grammatical unit you build using `词语`.
• 成语 (chéngyǔ) - Idiom. A specific type of `词语`, typically a four-character set phrase with a historical or literary origin.
• 短语 (duǎnyǔ) - Phrase. A group of related words that function as a unit (e.g., “very pretty,” “at school”).
• 词典 (cídiǎn) - Dictionary (for words). A reference book that defines `词语`. Contrast with `字典 (zìdiǎn)`, which focuses on individual characters.
• 用词 (yòngcí) - Wording; diction. The specific choice of words someone uses.