ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY
解
to untie; to explain
jiě
13 strokes · 角 (horn) + 刀 (knife) + 牛 (ox) · HSK 3
What 解 is made of
角 + 刀 + 牛 = 解
角horn
牛ox / cow / awesome (slang) niú
Where 解 comes from
A knife 刀 separating the horn 角 from an ox 牛 — butchering, taking apart. From loosening joints to loosening knots to loosening confusion: untie, solve, explain.
解 in Chinese culture
解决 solve, 了解 understand, 解释 explain — modern life runs on 解. Zhuangzi's master butcher 庖丁解牛 carved oxen so perfectly his blade never dulled — the classic image of effortless skill.
Example
了解 liǎojiě — to understand
这个问题很难解决。
Zhège wèntí hěn nán jiějué.
This problem is hard to solve.
How to remember it
KNIFE takes HORN off OX — take a problem APART to SOLVE it.
解 has three readings: jiě (untie), jiè (escort), and xiè — the last surviving mostly in the surname and 解数 'martial moves'.
Same sound, different tones
Words unlocked by 解
了解 liǎojiě
to understand
解决 jiějué
to solve
Related characters
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