Meaning
理解 means to understand or comprehend something in a deeper sense, beyond just knowing facts. It implies grasping the meaning, reasons, or feelings behind something. The word combines 理 (reason, logic) and 解 (to untie,解开), suggesting the idea of untangling or making sense of something.
Usage
理解 is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when discussing comprehension of ideas, situations, or emotions. It's slightly more formal than 懂 (dǒng) and emphasizes deeper comprehension. Often used with 不 to form 不理解 (don't understand). Commonly paired with nouns like 意思 (meaning), 想法 (thoughts), or 感受 (feelings).
Examples
- 01我完全理解你的感受。.I completely understand your feelings.
- 02这个概念很难理解。.This concept is difficult to understand.
Characters
Common collocations
- 相互理解mutual understanding
- 理解能力comprehension ability
- 充分理解to fully understand
- 难以理解difficult to understand
Antonyms
Origin
The combination of 理 (principle/reason) and 解 (to solve/untangle) creates the meaning of untangling or solving the logic of something, hence 'to understand.'