解 jiě to explain
untie; to solve; to explain; to loosen
How to remember 解: 角 horn + 𭷔 knife and ox = to explain. At the village fair a rope snags on one horn, the farmer frees it with his knife and a patient ox, and everyone asks him to explain.
Component breakdown
解 = 角 horn + 𭷔 knife and ox
- 角 horn
- 𭷔 knife and ox
At the village fair a rope snags on one horn, the farmer frees it with his knife and a patient ox, and everyone asks him to explain.
How it came to be
A horn with a knife and an ox: the horn being cut off the animal. It is butchery drawn in full, and taking a thing apart to its pieces is what explaining is.
How it is used
- To untie / loosen, hence 'solve, explain, relieve' - 解决 (jiějué) solve, 解释 (jiěshì) explain, 解渴 (jiěkě) quench thirst.
- Distinguish 了解 (liǎojiě, know about / be familiar with) from 理解 (lǐjiě, understand/comprehend a meaning) and 解释 (explain to someone).
- Also 'undo/release': 解放 (jiěfàng) liberate, 解开 (jiěkāi) untie.
Characters built with 解
Words with 解
- 了解liǎojiěunderstand, find outHSK 3
- 解决jiějuéto solveHSK 3
- 解释jiěshìto explainHSK 4
- 理解lǐjiěcomprehendHSK 4
- 缓解huǎnjiěto bring reliefHSK 5
- 解放jiěfàngto liberateHSK 6
- 解答jiědáto solve (a problem)HSK 6
- 解说jiěshuōto explain (verbally)HSK 6
- 解读jiědúto decipherHSK 6
- 讲解jiǎngjiěto explainHSK 6
- 误解wùjiěto misunderstandHSK 6
- 不解bùjiěto not understandHSK 7
- 分解fēnjiěto resolveHSK 7
- 化解huàjiěto dissolveHSK 7
- 和解héjiěto settle (a dispute out of court)HSK 7
- 破解pòjiěto break (a bond, constraint etc)HSK 7
- 见解jiànjiěopinionHSK 7
- 解体jiětǐto break up into componentsHSK 7
- 解围jiěwéito lift a siegeHSK 7
- 解散jiěsànto dissolveHSK 7
- 解约jiěyuēto terminate an agreementHSK 7
- 解脱jiětuōto untieHSK 7
- 解除jiěchúto removeHSK 7
- 调解tiáojiěto mediateHSK 7
- 解渴jiěkěto quenchHSK 8
- 谅解liàngjiěto understandHSK 8
- 溶解róngjiěto dissolveHSK 9
- 瓦解wǎjiěto collapseHSK 9
- 解剖jiěpōuto dissect (an animal)HSK 9
- 解救jiějiùto rescueHSK 9
- 解析jiěxīto analyzeHSK 9
- 解雇jiěgùto fireHSK 9
- 辩解biànjiěto explainHSK 9
Example sentences
- 这个我了解了。 Zhège wǒ liǎojiě le.I understood this.
- 我不理解你说的话。 Wǒ bù lǐjiě nǐ shuō de huà.I don't understand what you said.
- 他解决了这个问题。 Tā jiějuéle zhège wèntí.He solved this problem.
- 他的讲解很详细。 Tā de jiǎngjiě hěn xiángxì.He gave a detailed explanation.