推理

tuīlǐ

reasoning

HSK 7

Character Breakdown

Understanding 推理 (tuīlǐ)

推理 primarily means "reasoning" or "inference." It refers to the mental process of drawing conclusions based on evidence or logical thinking. This word is often used in contexts involving detective work, scientific research, or any situation where logical deduction is key.

Usage and Nuance

When you use 推理, you emphasize the logical and analytical aspect of thinking. For example, in detective stories, 推理 highlights the process of piecing clues together to solve a mystery. In academic or scientific contexts, it stresses the importance of logical reasoning combined with evidence.

Common Collocations

  • 细致推理 (xìzhì de tuīlǐ): careful reasoning, used to describe thorough and detailed inference.
  • 推理小说 (tuīlǐ xiǎoshuō): detective or mystery novel, a genre focused on logical deduction.
  • 严密推理 (yánmì de tuīlǐ): rigorous reasoning, often used in scientific or formal contexts.

Tips

Avoid confusing 推理 with (tuīduàn), which also means to infer but often implies a guess or assumption without as much logical rigor. 推理 suggests a more systematic and reasoned process.

Use 推理 when you want to highlight the logical, evidence-based aspect of thinking or problem-solving.

Example Sentences

侦探通过细致的推理找到了真凶。

Zhēntàn tōngguò xìzhì de tuīlǐ zhǎodào le zhēnxiōng.

The detective found the real culprit through careful reasoning.

这部小说的推理部分非常精彩,令人难以猜测结局。

Zhè bù xiǎoshuō de tuīlǐ bùfen fēicháng jīngcǎi, lìng rén nányǐ cāicè

The reasoning part of this novel is very brilliant, making it hard to guess

科学研究依赖于严密的推理和实验验证。

Kēxué yánjiū yīlài yú yánmì de tuīlǐ hé shíyàn yànzhèng.

Scientific research relies on rigorous reasoning and experimental