意味着 yìwèizhe to signify
to signify; to mean; to imply
How to remember 意味着: 意 idea + 味 taste + 着 ongoing action (verb suffix) = to signify.
Characters
How it is used
- To mean/imply/signify (that) - 这意味着我们要重新开始 (zhè yìwèizhe wǒmen yào chóngxīn kāishǐ) this means we have to start over.
- Connects a fact to its consequence/implication, not a word's definition. The subject is usually a situation, and it points to what follows.
- Different from 意思是 (yìsi shì, 'means/refers to' a definition): 意味着 = 'entails/implies'. Note the 着 (zhe) is fixed to the word.
Example sentences
- 沉默就意味着同意。 Chénmò jiù yìwèizhe tóngyì.Silence gives consent.
- 这很可能意味着战争。 Zhè hěn kěnéng yìwèizhe zhànzhēng.This probably means war.