ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

to untie; to explain

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

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

Related characters

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