Chinese phrases

How to say what does this mean in Chinese

What does this mean in Chinese is 这是什么意思 (zhè shì shén me yì si). Point at the word or the sign as you ask.

这是什么意思

zhè shì shén me yì si

what does this mean?

The 思 in 意思 is light and short: yì si.

Ways to say what does this mean

这是什么意思
zhè shì shén me yì si
Everyday
what does this mean?
Point at a word, a sign or a message.
这个词是什么意思
zhè gè cí shì shén me yì si
Everyday
what does this word mean?
To ask about one word. You can also say the word itself: 社恐是什么意思?
什么意思
shén me yì si
Texting
what does it mean?; what do you mean?
Short, with friends and in chats. A bare 什么意思? can read as annoyed, so add the word you ask about.
啥意思
shá yì si
With friends
what’s that mean?
Casual, common in the north and online. 啥 is a northern word for 什么.
你的意思是
nǐ de yì si shì
Everyday
you mean…?
To check that you understood someone: 你的意思是明天不去了?

意思是
yì si shì
it means
The start of an answer: 意思是不能抽烟, “it means no smoking.”
就是
jiù shì
that is; I mean
The casual start of an explanation, as in the dialogue below.

Asking 你是什么意思 to check a word
你什么意思 usually means “what’s that supposed to mean?” and sounds offended. 你是什么意思 can sound the same. To check what someone meant, say 你的意思是…? or 你是说…?
Using 意味着 for a word’s meaning
意味着 means “to signify” or “to imply”: 这意味着什么? asks what something leads to. For the meaning of a word, ask 什么意思.

今晚的聚会我不去了，我有点社恐。
jīn wǎn de jù huì wǒ bú qù le, wǒ yǒu diǎn shè kǒng
Qiqi: I’m not going to the party tonight. I’m a bit 社恐.
“社恐”是什么意思？
shè kǒng shì shén me yì si
Leon: What does 社恐 mean?
就是怕跟不认识的人说话。
jiù shì pà gēn bú rèn shi de rén shuō huà
Qiqi: It means scared of talking to people you don’t know.
明白了，没关系。
míng bai le, méi guān xi
Leon: Got it. That’s OK.

In the dictionary: 意思 · 什么 · 啥 · 意味着 · 社恐