dāncí: 单词 - Word, Vocabulary Item

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• Summary: Discover the meaning of 单词 (dāncí), the essential Chinese term for a “word” or “vocabulary item.” This comprehensive guide is perfect for beginners, breaking down its characters, cultural role in language learning, and practical usage. Learn the crucial difference between a character (字) and a word (单词) with over 10 clear example sentences to build your core vocabulary and confidence.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dāncí
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: An individual, single word.
• In a Nutshell: 单词 (dāncí) is the fundamental building block of the Chinese language, equivalent to the English concept of a “word.” When you learn a new piece of vocabulary, like “你好 (nǐ hǎo)” or “苹果 (píngguǒ),” you are learning a 单词. It's the term you'll use constantly in your language learning journey, from asking your teacher “What does this word mean?” to tracking the new vocabulary you've learned.

• 单 (dān): This character means “single,” “individual,” or “sole.” Think of it as representing one, standalone unit.
• 词 (cí): This character means “word,” “term,” or “expression.” Notice the speech radical 言 (yán) on the left, which is associated with language and speaking.

Together, they form a very logical combination: 单 (dān) + 词 (cí) = a single word. This distinguishes it from a single character or a collection of words.

While 单词 (dāncí) itself isn't a deep cultural concept like 关系 (guānxi), its usage reveals a great deal about the culture of education and language learning in China. The phrase 背单词 (bèi dāncí), which literally means “to carry a word on your back” but translates to “memorize vocabulary,” is a cornerstone of Chinese study habits. For generations, students have spent countless hours meticulously memorizing lists of 单词, whether for their native Chinese, English, or another foreign language. This emphasis on rote memorization highlights a pedagogical value placed on diligence, discipline, and building a strong foundation before focusing on creative application. In the West, while vocabulary is important, the emphasis might shift more quickly to conversational practice. In China, having a large vocabulary (词汇量 (cíhuì liàng)) is often seen as the primary prerequisite for fluency. So, when you talk about learning 单词, you're tapping into a shared experience for hundreds of millions of Chinese students. The most important “cultural” distinction for a learner is understanding 单词 (dāncí) in contrast to 字 (zì):

• 字 (zì) - Character: The individual logogram. For example, in the word for “apple,” 苹果 (píngguǒ), '苹' is one 字 and '果' is another 字. They often have their own meaning but may not function as a complete word on their own.
• 单词 (dāncí) - Word: A unit of meaning that can be used in a sentence. 苹果 (píngguǒ) is one 单词.

Understanding this difference is a fundamental breakthrough for any beginner learner of Chinese.

单词 is a high-frequency, neutral term used in almost any context related to language.

• In the Classroom: This is its most common habitat. Teachers and students use it constantly.
  • “Let's learn ten new 单词 today.” (我们今天学十个新单词。)
  • “Please use this 单词 to make a sentence.” (请用这个单词造句。)
• In Casual Conversation: When discussing language learning with friends, 单词 is the natural choice.
  • “This 单词 is really hard to remember.” (这个单词太难记了。)
  • “How do you say this 单词?” (这个单词怎么说？)
• In Apps and Media: Language learning apps like Duolingo or Pleco will refer to new vocabulary as 单词 or, more specifically, 生词 (shēngcí) - new words.

The term itself is neither formal nor informal and carries no strong positive or negative connotation. It is simply a functional, descriptive noun.

• Example 1:
  • 这个单词是什么意思？
  • Pinyin: Zhège dāncí shì shénme yìsi?
  • English: What does this word mean?
  • Analysis: A classic, essential sentence for any beginner in a classroom or while studying.
• Example 2:
  • 我今天学了二十个新单词。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān xuéle èrshí gè xīn dāncí.
  • English: I learned twenty new words today.
  • Analysis: Note the use of the measure word 个 (gè) for counting words.
• Example 3:
  • 请你把这个单词写下来。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng nǐ bǎ zhège dāncí xiě xiàlái.
  • English: Please write this word down.
  • Analysis: This uses the 把 (bǎ) structure, a common way to form commands involving an object.
• Example 4:
  • 他的词汇量很大，认识很多单词。
  • Pinyin: Tā de cíhuì liàng hěn dà, rènshi hěn duō dāncí.
  • English: His vocabulary is very large; he knows a lot of words.
  • Analysis: This shows the relationship between 词汇 (cíhuì) - vocabulary as a concept - and 单词 (dāncí) - the individual items that make it up.
• Example 5:
  • 这个单词由两个汉字组成。
  • Pinyin: Zhège dāncí yóu liǎng gè Hànzì zǔchéng.
  • English: This word is composed of two Chinese characters.
  • Analysis: A perfect sentence for illustrating the difference between a word (单词) and a character (汉字).
• Example 6:
  • 我总是记不住这个单词的发音。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zǒngshì jì bu zhù zhège dāncí de fāyīn.
  • English: I can never remember this word's pronunciation.
  • Analysis: “记不住 (jì bu zhù)” is a useful resultative complement meaning “can't remember successfully.”
• Example 7:
  • 背单词是学习外语很重要的一步。
  • Pinyin: Bèi dāncí shì xuéxí wàiyǔ hěn zhòngyào de yī bù.
  • English: Memorizing words is a very important step in learning a foreign language.
  • Analysis: Introduces the key concept of 背单词 (bèi dāncí), “to memorize words.”
• Example 8:
  • 你能在词典里查一下这个单词吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng zài cídiǎn lǐ chá yīxià zhège dāncí ma?
  • English: Can you look this word up in the dictionary?
  • Analysis: Shows the practical action of looking up a 单词 in a 词典 (cídiǎn).
• Example 9:
  • 这个单词很简单，你应该认识。
  • Pinyin: Zhège dāncí hěn jiǎndān, nǐ yīnggāi rènshi.
  • English: This word is very simple, you should know it.
  • Analysis: A straightforward sentence you might hear from a teacher or a fluent speaker.
• Example 10:
  • 虽然我知道每个单词的意思，但我还是不明白整个句子。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒ zhīdào měi gè dāncí de yìsi, dànshì wǒ háishì bù míngbái zhěnggè jùzi.
  • English: Although I know the meaning of every word, I still don't understand the whole sentence.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly captures a common frustration for language learners and highlights the difference between knowing individual 单词 and understanding grammar/context.

The most significant pitfall for English speakers is confusing 单词 (dāncí) with three other related terms: 字 (zì), 词语 (cíyǔ), and 词汇 (cíhuì). Mastering this distinction is crucial.

• 单词 (dāncí) vs. 字 (zì)
  • 字 (zì): Character. The smallest graphical unit. `好 (hǎo)` is one 字.
  • 单词 (dāncí): Word. A unit of meaning. `你好 (nǐhǎo)` is one 单词 made of two 字.
  • Incorrect: 这个字是什么意思？ (Pointing at the word 苹果) - What does this character mean?
  • Correct: 这个单词是什么意思？ (Pointing at the word 苹果) - What does this word mean?
• 单词 (dāncí) vs. 词汇 (cíhuì)
  • 词汇 (cíhuì): Vocabulary. Refers to the entire collection or stock of words a person knows or that exists in a language. You cannot count it with 个 (gè).
  • 单词 (dāncí): Word. An individual item from that collection.
  • Incorrect: 我的单词量很大。 - My “word quantity” is very big.
  • Correct: 我的词汇量很大。 - My vocabulary is very large.
  • Correct: 我认识很多单词。 - I know many words.
• 单词 (dāncí) vs. 词语 (cíyǔ)
  • This is the most subtle distinction.
  • 词语 (cíyǔ): Word, Term, Expression. It's a slightly broader and more formal term than 单词. It can include not just single words but also common phrases and sometimes even four-character idioms (成语 chéngyǔ).
  • In many casual contexts, they can be used interchangeably. However, 单词 emphasizes a single vocabulary item for the purpose of learning, while 词语 is more about general “terms and expressions.” When in doubt as a beginner, stick with 单词.

• 字 (zì) - Character. The fundamental written component that makes up a 单词.
• 词汇 (cíhuì) - Vocabulary. The entire collection of 单词 that you know.
• 词语 (cíyǔ) - Word, term, expression. A close, slightly broader synonym for 单词.
• 生词 (shēngcí) - New word. A 单词 that is unfamiliar to you; literally a “raw word.”
• 句子 (jùzi) - Sentence. The next level up from a 单词; what you build with words.
• 背单词 (bèi dāncí) - To memorize words. The common activity of studying and learning new 单词.
• 词典 (cídiǎn) - Dictionary. The book or app you use to look up the meaning of a 单词.
• 发音 (fāyīn) - Pronunciation. A key quality of every 单词.
• 意思 (yìsi) - Meaning. What you are trying to find out about a 单词.