繹 (yì) - To unravel & to explain

繹Tone 4

yì ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

一懿

繹 · yì

To unravel;

to explain;

to deduce;

to trace;

continuous;

unceasing.

To unravelto explainto deduce

Usage highlights

To explain/expoundTo deduce/inferTo trace originsContinuous/unbrokenTo ponder and deduceTo elucidate

Synonyms

  • 释— to explain; to interpret
  • 解— to untie; to explain
  • 推— to infer; to deduce

Antonyms

  • 结— to knot; to tangle
  • 缠— to entangle; to wind

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The scholar explained the classics (绎经).
  • We need to deduce the truth from the evidence (寻绎真相).
  • The melody is continuous and flowing (络绎不绝的旋律).
  • He is pondering and deducing the meaning (寻绎其意).

Collocations

  • To explain/expound(绎解)
  • To deduce/infer(绎推)
  • To trace origins(绎源)
  • Continuous/unbroken(络绎)
  • To ponder and deduce(寻绎)
  • To elucidate(绎述)

Idioms

  • Coming and going in an endless stream(络绎不绝)
  • To seek and deduce the meaning(寻绎其意)
  • To explain and elucidate(绎解阐明)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted unrolling or drawing out silk, hence the meanings 'to unravel' and 'to explain'.
  • Used in classical Chinese scholarship for the methodical analysis and interpretation of texts.
  • The character appears in historical texts related to logical reasoning and textual exegesis.

FAQ