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意譯

简意译 · 繁意譯

Mandarin · pinyin yì yì

meaning (of foreign expression)
translation of the meaning (as opposed to literal translation 直譯)
paraphrase
free translation

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Characters in this entry

意: yì · thought, idea, opinion; think
譯: Look up this written character
译: yì · translate; decode; encode

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–4 · yi4 yi4

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Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

2character links6same-tone records

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Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

意譯 · find source passages ↗ · 意译 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 4 senses

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

(linguistics, translation studies) to translate (a passage) freely; to translate using paraphrasing
(linguistics, translation studies) to translate (a word) into another language by meaning (as opposed to by sound); to calque

noun

(linguistics, translation studies) free translation; paraphrase
(linguistics, translation studies) word translated from another language by meaning; calque

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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