Overview
The word "词" (cí) primarily means "word" or "term" in Mandarin Chinese. It is a fundamental vocabulary item used to refer to individual words or expressions.
Common Uses
- Referring to a single word or vocabulary item.
- Used in compound words like "歌词" (gēcí, lyrics) where it means "words" or "lyrics".
Collocations and Patterns
- 这个词 (zhège cí): this word
- 词语 (cíyǔ): words and expressions
- 词典 (cídiǎn): dictionary
- 歌词 (gēcí): song lyrics
Usage Notes
"词" is often used in educational contexts when discussing vocabulary or language. It is more formal than the colloquial "话" (huà) when referring to words. When combined with other characters, it can form terms related to language and literature.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse "词" with "字" (zì), which means "character". "词" refers to words or phrases, which can be made up of one or more characters.