了解 meaning in English
to understand; to know about; to learn about; to find out
Meaning of 了解
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to understand; to know about
- to learn about; to find out
- variant of 了解[liao3 jie3]
How to use 了解
了解 means to know about something or someone through information or experience, and it often means to find out more. It is common with people, situations, and cultures. Example: 我想了解中国文化。(Wǒ xiǎng liǎojiě Zhōngguó wénhuà.) I want to learn about Chinese culture.
了 (liǎo) here means to finish or be clear about, and 解 (jiě) means to untie, as in 解开 (jiěkāi). When you have fully untied a problem and see it clearly, you 了解 it.
Common mistake: Learners read 了 as the neutral-tone le, but in 了解 it is liǎo with a third tone. Since both syllables are third tone, the first changes in speech, so it sounds like liáojiě.
了解 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
了 le · completed action marker · 2 strokes
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解 jiě · to divide · 13 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 了解.
| 为了 | wèile | for; for the purpose of; in order to |
| 理解 | lǐjiě | to comprehend; to understand |
| 除了 | chúle | apart from; besides; in addition to (used to exclude, as in 除了他，誰也沒來|除了他，谁也没来[chu2 le5 ta1 |
| 解决 | jiějué | to solve; to resolve; to settle (a problem); to eliminate; to wipe out (an enemy, bandits |
| 解开 | jiěkāi | to untie; to undo |
| 极了 | jí le | extremely; exceedingly |
| 解释 | jiěshì | explanation; to explain |
| 了不起 | liǎobuqǐ | amazing; terrific |
| 受不了 | shòubuliǎo | unbearable; unable to endure |
| 缓解 | huǎnjiě | to bring relief; to alleviate (a crisis) |
| 解除 | jiěchú | to remove; to sack |
| 解放 | jiěfàng | to liberate; to emancipate |
Questions about 了解
What does 了解 mean?
了解 (liǎojiě) means "to understand; to know about; to learn about; to find out" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 了解?
了解 is made of 2 characters: 了 (2 strokes), 解 (13 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 了解 an HSK word?
Yes. 了解 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 了解 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 了解 is written 了解|瞭解.
What is the difference between 了解 and 理解?
了解 is about knowing facts or getting information about something or someone. 理解 (lǐjiě) is about understanding the reasons or feelings behind something. 我了解他 means you know him well, while 我理解他 means you understand why he acts the way he does.
Can 了解 be used as a noun?
Yes. It can act like a noun meaning knowledge or understanding, often with 对 (duì). Example: 我对这个城市的了解不多。(Wǒ duì zhège chéngshì de liǎojiě bù duō.) I don't know much about this city.