...的意思就是...
Use ...的意思就是... when you're defining or explaining a word, phrase, or concept — 'X means Y.' It's the simplest, most direct way to gloss a term in conversation: put the word in the first slot, the plain-language definition in the second. Common in teaching, casual explanations to non-native speakers, and any moment when you need to spell out what a word actually refers to.
Structure
[TERM] 的意思就是 [EXPLANATION]
...de yìsi jiùshì...
How to Think About It
的意思就是 is two pieces doing one job: 的意思 turns the term into 'the meaning of X,' and 就是 hammers the equals sign down hard. Together they say 'the meaning of X is exactly Y.' The 就 is what makes the definition feel definitive rather than tentative — drop it and the sentence becomes the milder 'the meaning of X is Y,' which sounds more like a guess.
Examples
“朋友”的意思就是关系很好的人。
“Péngyou” de yìsi jiùshì guānxi hěn hǎo de rén.
“朋友” means a person you have a close relationship with.
“便宜”的意思就是不贵。
“Piányi” de yìsi jiùshì bú guì.
“便宜” means not expensive.
“加油”的意思就是鼓励别人努力。
“Jiāyóu” de yìsi jiùshì gǔlì biérén nǔlì.
“加油” means encouraging someone to try hard.
Common Mistake
Learners write 的意思是 without 就 and the sentence sounds vague or unfinished, especially in spoken explanations. The 就 nails the definition down; in casual speech it's almost always there.
“开心”的意思是高兴。
“开心”的意思就是高兴。
Don't Confuse With
...是...的意思
Same meaning, flipped order: 'Y is the meaning of X.' Use it when you want the definition first and the term second — slightly more formal.
...叫做...
叫做 names something ('is called X'). Use it for labels; use 的意思就是 for explaining what a label means.
...也就是说...
也就是说 paraphrases a whole sentence. 的意思就是 defines a single term. Don't swap them when you only want to gloss one word.
Practice
Fill in the blank: “高兴”的意思___是开心。
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就
Fill in the blank: “大家”的___思就是所有人。
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意
Arrange: 就是 / 的意思 / 累 / “疲倦” / 很
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“疲倦”的意思就是很累。
Translate to Chinese: “Cheap” means not expensive.
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“便宜”的意思就是不贵。
Write a sentence using ...的意思就是... to explain a Chinese word you recently learned.
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“努力”的意思就是认真地做事情。