tíshì: 提示 - Hint, Prompt, Tip, Notification

• Keywords: tishi, 提示, Chinese word for hint, Chinese word for prompt, Chinese for notification, what does tishi mean, computer prompt in Chinese, give a hint in Chinese, suggest, point out, tip.
• Summary: “提示 (tíshì)” is an essential and versatile Chinese word that means a “hint,” “prompt,” “tip,” or “notification.” You'll encounter it everywhere in modern China, from the pop-up messages on your smartphone and ATM screens to a friend giving you a clue in a game. This page provides a deep dive into its meaning, character origins, and practical usage, helping you master this common term for both digital and daily conversations.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tíshì
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To point out or to prompt; a hint, a tip, or a notification.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine you're stuck on a puzzle. The little clue that helps you figure it out is a 提示. The pop-up message on an app that guides you to the next step is also a 提示. At its core, 提示 is a small, helpful piece of information designed to guide your thinking or actions. It's not a full instruction or a deep explanation, but rather a gentle nudge in the right direction.

• 提 (tí): This character's left side is the “hand” radical (扌), indicating an action. The character means “to lift,” “to carry,” or “to bring up” a topic. In 提示, it carries the sense of “bringing something to someone's attention.”
• 示 (shì): This character is pictographically derived from an altar and means “to show” or “to reveal.” It implies making something clear for others to see.
• Together, 提 (to bring up) + 示 (to show) creates the combined meaning of “to bring something up and show it”—in other words, to point something out, give a hint, or provide a prompt.

While not as culturally deep as concepts like `关系 (guānxi)`, 提示 (tíshì) plays a significant role in modern communication, especially when navigating politeness and indirectness. In Western culture, communication can often be very direct. In contrast, Chinese culture sometimes favors more indirect communication to avoid confrontation or causing someone to lose “face” (`面子 (miànzi)`). A 提示 can be a polite, gentle way to correct someone, guide their behavior, or convey information without sounding like a direct command or criticism. For example, instead of saying “You're doing it wrong,” a person might offer a 提示 that subtly guides them to the correct method. The most significant modern context for 提示 is the digital world. The term perfectly encapsulates the function of UI (User Interface) elements like tooltips, notifications, and prompts. An English speaker might use three different words—“hint,” “prompt,” “notification”—for three different situations. The single word 提示 gracefully covers them all, from a game hint to a system error message. This makes it one of the most common words you'll see on screens in China. A particularly common and friendly variation is 温馨提示 (wēnxīn tíshì), or “warm/gentle reminder,” which softens any instruction into a polite suggestion.

提示 is extremely common in both spoken and written Chinese. Its usage can be split into two main categories: 1. Digital and Automated Prompts: This is the most frequent use of 提示 today. You will see or hear it constantly when interacting with technology.

• Error Messages: 错误提示 (cuòwù tíshì) - Error prompt/message.
• System Notifications: 系统提示 (xìtǒng tíshì) - System prompt/notification.
• Friendly Reminders: 温馨提示 (wēnxīn tíshì) - “Warm” or friendly reminder, often seen on signs, websites, and in public announcements.
• On-screen Instructions: On ATMs, ticket machines, and apps, you'll see messages like “请根据屏幕提示操作” (qǐng gēnjù píngmù tíshì cāozuò) - “Please operate according to the on-screen prompts.”

2. Interpersonal Communication: In conversation, 提示 is used when asking for or giving a hint or a small clue.

• Asking for a hint: “我猜不出来，你给我个提示吧！” (Wǒ cāi bu chūlái, nǐ gěi wǒ ge tíshì ba!) - “I can't guess, give me a hint!”
• Giving a hint (as a verb): “我来提示你一下，答案是一种水果。” (Wǒ lái tíshì nǐ yīxià, dá'àn shì yī zhǒng shuǐguǒ.) - “Let me give you a hint, the answer is a type of fruit.”

Its connotation is almost always neutral or helpful. It is neither formal nor informal and can be used in a wide range of situations.

• Example 1:
  • 电脑右下角弹出了一个更新提示。
  • Pinyin: Diànnǎo yòu xiàjiǎo tán chūle yīgè gēngxīn tíshì.
  • English: An update notification popped up in the bottom right corner of the computer screen.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of 提示 used as a noun in a digital context, meaning “notification” or “prompt.”
• Example 2:
  • 我想不起来他的名字了，你能给我一点提示吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng bù qǐlái tā de míngzì le, nǐ néng gěi wǒ yīdiǎn tíshì ma?
  • English: I can't remember his name, can you give me a little hint?
  • Analysis: Here, 提示 is used as a noun in conversation to mean “hint” or “clue.”
• Example 3:
  • 这本书的每一章后面都有一些重要提示。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn shū de měi yī zhāng hòumiàn dōu yǒu yīxiē zhòngyào tíshì.
  • English: After every chapter in this book, there are some important tips.
  • Analysis: In this context, 提示 means “tips” or “key points,” used in a learning or instructional context.
• Example 4:
  • 老师提示我们，考试的重点在最后三课。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī tíshì wǒmen, kǎoshì de zhòngdiǎn zài zuìhòu sān kè.
  • English: The teacher hinted to us that the focus of the exam is on the last three lessons.
  • Analysis: This shows 提示 used as a verb, meaning “to hint” or “to point out.”
• Example 5:
  • （在地铁上）温馨提示：请抓好扶手，小心脚下。
  • Pinyin: (Zài dìtiě shàng) Wēnxīn tíshì: Qǐng zhuā hǎo fúshǒu, xiǎoxīn jiǎoxià.
  • English: (On the subway) Friendly reminder: Please hold the handrail and mind your step.
  • Analysis: 温馨提示 is a very common set phrase for public notices. It's polite, soft, and ubiquitous in modern China.
• Example 6:
  • 如果密码输入错误，系统会有红色的错误提示。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ mìmǎ shūrù cuòwù, xìtǒng huì yǒu hóngsè de cuòwù tíshì.
  • English: If you enter the wrong password, the system will show a red error prompt.
  • Analysis: Another digital example, showing how 提示 can be modified by adjectives like “error” (错误) and “red” (红色).
• Example 7:
  • 他的眼神给了我一个提示，让我不要再说了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de yǎnshén gěi le wǒ yīgè tíshì, ràng wǒ bùyào zài shuō le.
  • English: His look gave me a hint to stop talking.
  • Analysis: This illustrates a more subtle, non-verbal use of 提示, similar to “a cue” or “a signal.”
• Example 8:
  • 请根据语音提示按键。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng gēnjù yǔyīn tíshì àn jiàn.
  • English: Please press the key according to the voice prompt.
  • Analysis: This is common when calling automated phone systems. 提示 here clearly means “prompt.”
• Example 9:
  • 这个游戏的提示功能非常有用，我卡关的时候总会用。
  • Pinyin: Zhège yóuxì de tíshì gōngnéng fēicháng yǒuyòng, wǒ kǎ guān de shíhòu zǒng huì yòng.
  • English: This game's hint function is very useful; I always use it when I get stuck on a level.
  • Analysis: Shows 提示 as part of a compound noun, 提示功能 (tíshì gōngnéng), meaning “hint function.”
• Example 10:
  • 法官提示证人，他有权保持沉默。
  • Pinyin: Fǎguān tíshì zhèngrén, tā yǒuquán bǎochí chénmò.
  • English: The judge prompted (or informed) the witness that he had the right to remain silent.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates a more formal usage of 提示 as a verb, meaning “to inform” or “to formally point out.”

English speakers often confuse 提示 with similar words. Here’s how to tell them apart:

• 提示 (tíshì) vs. 提醒 (tíxǐng) - “to remind”
  • 提醒 (tíxǐng) is specifically for jogging someone's memory about something they already know but might have forgotten.
  • 提示 (tíshì) is for giving a new piece of information (a hint) to help someone figure something out, or for a system-generated prompt.
  • Correct: 提醒我明天带护照。(Tíxǐng wǒ míngtiān dài hùzhào.) - Remind me to bring my passport tomorrow.
  • Incorrect: 提示我明天带护照。 (This is unnatural; no new “hint” is being provided).
  • Rule of Thumb: A person reminds (提醒) you; a system prompts (提示) you.
• 提示 (tíshì) vs. 建议 (jiànyì) - “to suggest”
  • A 提示 is a small clue or piece of data. A 建议 (jiànyì) is a full-fledged opinion or recommendation about a course of action.
  • Correct: 我建议你换个工作。(Wǒ jiànyì nǐ huàn gè gōngzuò.) - I suggest you change jobs.
  • Incorrect: 我提示你换个工作。 (This sounds like you're giving a cryptic clue about their job, not direct advice).
• 提示 (tíshì) vs. 线索 (xiànsuǒ) - “clue”
  • 线索 (xiànsuǒ) is a “lead” or “clue” in an investigation, like for a crime or a serious mystery. It implies a trail of evidence.
  • 提示 (tíshì) is a “hint” for a game, a puzzle, or a simple problem.
  • Correct: 警察在寻找破案的线索。(Jǐngchá zài xúnzhǎo pò'àn de xiànsuǒ.) - The police are looking for clues to solve the case.
  • Incorrect: 警察在寻找破案的提示。 (This makes it sound like the crime is a riddle).

• 提醒 (tíxǐng) - To remind. Focuses on memory, whereas 提示 focuses on guidance or providing new info.
• 建议 (jiànyì) - To suggest; suggestion. Stronger and more comprehensive than a 提示.
• 暗示 (ànshì) - To imply; an implication. More subtle and often more covert than a 提示. An 暗示 is a hint you have to read between the lines.
• 通知 (tōngzhī) - A notice; to notify. More formal, official, and direct than a 提示. It's an announcement, not a prompt.
• 指令 (zhǐlìng) - An order; command; instruction. This is a direct command, much stronger than a helpful 提示.
• 警告 (jǐnggào) - A warning. A 警告 points out danger or negative consequences, while a 提示 is generally neutral or helpful.
• 线索 (xiànsuǒ) - A clue or lead, used in the context of solving a complex mystery or crime.
• 温馨提示 (wēnxīn tíshì) - A common, polite set phrase for a “friendly reminder” or “warm tip.”