‘含义’ (hán yì) is a noun meaning ‘meaning’ or ‘implication’—the idea, significance, or underlying message conveyed by a word, phrase, symbol, or action. It combines the characters 含 (hán), meaning ‘to contain’ or ‘to hold within’, and 义 (yì), meaning ‘meaning’, ‘righteousness’, or ‘moral principle’. Together, they literally suggest ‘that which is contained within’—a compact, conceptual core of significance.

This word is commonly used in academic, literary, and everyday contexts when discussing language, signs, gestures, or cultural practices. Unlike the more basic word 意思 (yì si), 含义 often implies depth, intentionality, or subtlety—for example, the symbolic meaning of a gesture or the philosophical weight behind a proverb. It appears frequently in explanations, analyses, and discussions where interpretation matters, such as in literature class, translation work, or cross-cultural communication.