====== cíyǔ: 词语 - Word, Term, Vocabulary ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** ciyu, 词语, Chinese vocabulary, Chinese words, what does ciyu mean, learn Chinese terms, word in Chinese, cí, dāncí, difference between ci and ciyu, Chinese building blocks
  * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **词语 (cíyǔ)**, the fundamental Chinese concept for "word" or "term." This guide explains what **词语** is, how it forms the basis of Chinese vocabulary, and how it differs from a single character (`字`) or a "vocabulary list word" (`单词`). Mastering **词语** is essential for any beginner looking to move beyond individual characters and start forming meaningful sentences in Chinese.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** cíyǔ
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 3
  * **Concise Definition:** A word or term, especially one composed of two or more Chinese characters.
  * **In a Nutshell:** `词语` is the standard, everyday term for "word" in Chinese. While a single character (`字`) can sometimes be a word, most meaningful concepts in modern Mandarin are expressed using `词语`—combinations of two or more characters. Think of characters as the "letters" or "building blocks," and `词语` as the "words" you build with them. Learning `词语` is how you learn Chinese vocabulary.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **词 (cí):** This character means "word" or "phrase." It's made of two parts: the "speech" radical `言 (yán)` on the left, and `司 (sī)`, which means "to manage" or "control." So, `词` represents a "managed" or defined unit of speech—a word.
  * **语 (yǔ):** This character means "language" or "speech." It also contains the "speech" radical `言 (yán)`, combined with `吾 (wú)`, an old way of saying "I" or "me." So, `语` evokes the idea of "my speech" or the language a person speaks.
Together, **词语 (cíyǔ)** literally combines "word" and "language." This creates a comprehensive term that refers to the words and phrases that constitute a language. It's the most common and neutral way to talk about the vocabulary you use to speak and write.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The concept of `词语` is fundamentally important to understanding the structure of the Chinese language. It highlights a key difference from English.
In English, we learn letters, and letters form words. The "word" is the primary unit of meaning.
In Chinese, you learn characters (`字 zì`), and characters combine to form `词语`.
For a beginner, this is a crucial mental shift. While a single character like `人 (rén - person)` can be a word on its own, it's far more common to see it as part of a two-character `词语` like `人民 (rénmín - the people)` or `女人 (nǚrén - woman)`. The meaning becomes more specific and stable when characters are combined.
**Comparison to "Word" in English:** The English word "word" can be a single letter (e.g., "a" or "I"). A Chinese `词语`, however, almost always refers to a unit of at least one, and most commonly two or more, characters. The focus in Chinese is not on the individual character's meaning in isolation, but how it functions within a `词语`. Learning Chinese is less about memorizing thousands of individual characters and more about learning the few thousand common `词语` they form.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`词语` is a high-frequency, neutral term used in almost any context where language is discussed.
  * **In Education:** This is the term a teacher uses when introducing new vocabulary. You will see it in textbooks, on vocabulary lists (along with `生词 shēngcí`, "new words"), and in dictionaries. A teacher might say, "今天我们学习十个新词语" (Today we're learning ten new words).
  * **In Daily Conversation:** When you encounter a word you don't understand, you can point to it and ask, "这个词语是什么意思？" (What does this word/term mean?). It's the default way to refer to a specific vocabulary item.
  * **On Social Media and Online:** People use it to discuss language, slang, or specific terminology. For example, someone might post about a new internet slang term and call it a "网络词语" (wǎngluò cíyǔ - internet word).
It's neither formal nor informal—it's the standard.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 老师教了我们很多新的**词语**。
    * Pinyin: Lǎoshī jiāo le wǒmen hěn duō xīn de **cíyǔ**.
    * English: The teacher taught us a lot of new words.
    * Analysis: This is a classic classroom context. `词语` here refers to the new vocabulary items for the lesson.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 我不明白这个**词语**的意思，你能解释一下吗？
    * Pinyin: Wǒ bù míngbai zhège **cíyǔ** de yìsi, nǐ néng jiěshì yīxià ma?
    * English: I don't understand the meaning of this word, can you explain it?
    * Analysis: A perfect, practical sentence for any learner. `词语` refers to a single, specific term that is causing confusion.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 写文章的时候，要注意**词语**的搭配。
    * Pinyin: Xiě wénzhāng de shíhou, yào zhùyì **cíyǔ** de dāpèi.
    * English: When writing an essay, you need to pay attention to word choice/collocation.
    * Analysis: This shows a more advanced use. `词语的搭配` (cíyǔ de dāpèi) means "word collocation"—which words naturally go together.
  * **Example 4:**
    * “开心”和“高兴”是意思很近的**词语**。
    * Pinyin: “Kāixīn” hé “gāoxìng” shì yìsi hěn jìn de **cíyǔ**.
    * English: "Kāixīn" and "gāoxìng" are words with very similar meanings.
    * Analysis: Here, `词语` is used to compare and categorize different vocabulary items.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 我想找一个合适的**词语**来形容我的心情。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng zhǎo yī ge héshì de **cíyǔ** lái xíngróng wǒ de xīnqíng.
    * English: I want to find a suitable word to describe my feelings.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the use of `词语` when searching for the "right word" to express an idea.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 这个**词语**在口语中很常用。
    * Pinyin: Zhège **cíyǔ** zài kǒuyǔ zhōng hěn chángyòng.
    * English: This word is very common in spoken language.
    * Analysis: `词语` is used here to discuss the register or context (spoken vs. written) of a vocabulary item.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 他的中文很好，知道很多有用的**词语**。
    * Pinyin: Tā de Zhōngwén hěn hǎo, zhīdào hěn duō yǒuyòng de **cíyǔ**.
    * English: His Chinese is very good; he knows a lot of useful words.
    * Analysis: A simple sentence praising someone's vocabulary knowledge.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 这是一个比较正式的**词语**，平时聊天很少用。
    * Pinyin: Zhè shì yī ge bǐjiào zhèngshì de **cíyǔ**, píngshí liáotiān hěn shǎo yòng.
    * English: This is a relatively formal term; it's rarely used in casual conversation.
    * Analysis: This highlights how `词语` can be qualified with adjectives like "formal" (`正式`) or "informal" (`非正式`).
  * **Example 9:**
    * 你能用这个**词语**造个句吗？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ néng yòng zhège **cíyǔ** zào ge jù ma?
    * English: Can you make a sentence using this word?
    * Analysis: A common request from a language teacher or partner. "造句" (zàojù) means to make a sentence.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 很多中⽂**词语**都由两个汉字组成。
    * Pinyin: Hěn duō Zhōngwén **cíyǔ** dōu yóu liǎng ge Hànzì zǔchéng.
    * English: Many Chinese words are composed of two Chinese characters.
    * Analysis: This sentence perfectly summarizes the core concept of `词语` itself.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
The biggest point of confusion for learners is the difference between `词语` and similar-sounding terms.
**`词语 (cíyǔ)` vs. `单词 (dāncí)`**
  * **`词语 (cíyǔ)`:** The general, all-purpose word for "word" or "term." It refers to a word as a unit of meaning in the language.
  * **`单词 (dāncí)`:** Literally "single word." This term is used almost exclusively in a language-learning context. It refers to a word as an *item on a list to be memorized*—like a flashcard. When you say "I need to memorize vocabulary," you'd use `背单词 (bèi dāncí)`. You wouldn't say `背词语 (bèi cíyǔ)`.
  * **Mistake:** Using `单词` in general conversation when you just mean "word." For example, asking "What does this `单词` mean?" sounds a bit strange, like you're asking "What does this 'vocabulary list item' mean?". Use `词语` instead: "这个**词语**是什么意思？" (Correct).
**`词语 (cíyǔ)` vs. `字 (zì)`**
  * **`字 (zì)`:** Character. The logographic symbol itself. `好` is one `字`.
  * **`词语 (cíyǔ)`:** Word. A unit of meaning, usually made of one or more `字`. `你好` is one `词语` made of two `字`.
  * **Mistake:** Pointing to the two-character word `朋友 (péngyou)` and asking "What does this `字` mean?". It's not one `字`, it's one `词语`. You should ask, "这个**词语**是什么意思？" (Correct).
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[字]] (zì) - Character. The fundamental written unit that combines to form `词语`.
  * [[单词]] (dāncí) - A "single word," specifically in the context of a vocabulary list for memorization.
  * [[词汇]] (cíhuì) - Vocabulary; lexicon. Refers to the entire stock of words a person knows or that exists in a language. It's a more abstract and collective noun than `词语`.
  * [[生词]] (shēngcí) - New word. A vocabulary item that a learner has not yet studied.
  * [[句子]] (jùzi) - Sentence. The grammatical unit you build using `词语`.
  * [[成语]] (chéngyǔ) - Idiom. A specific type of `词语`, typically a four-character set phrase with a historical or literary origin.
  * [[短语]] (duǎnyǔ) - Phrase. A group of related words that function as a unit (e.g., "very pretty," "at school").
  * [[词典]] (cídiǎn) - Dictionary (for words). A reference book that defines `词语`. Contrast with `字典 (zìdiǎn)`, which focuses on individual characters.
  * [[用词]] (yòngcí) - Wording; diction. The specific choice of words someone uses.