...，意味着...
Reach for this when you've just stated a fact and want to spell out what it implies. 意味着 = 'means / implies,' and it sits between the fact and its consequence: 'X, 意味着 Y.' This is the analytical workhorse in commentary writing — news pieces, business takes, and op-eds use it constantly to walk readers from 'here's what happened' to 'here's what it really tells us.'
Structure
[FACT]，意味着 [IMPLICATION]
..., yìwèi zhe...
How to Think About It
意味 is literally 'meaning-flavor' — the implication or undertone of something. The 着 is the durative aspect particle, fixing it as an ongoing state: this thing 'carries the meaning of' that. Unlike English 'means,' which can describe definitions, Chinese 意味着 is almost always about consequences and implications, not dictionary equivalence. If you can swap in 'this implies' or 'this signals' in English, 意味着 fits.
Examples
下雨了，意味着今天的比赛要取消。
Xià yǔ le, yìwèi zhe jīntiān de bǐsài yào qǔxiāo.
It's raining, which means today's match will be cancelled.
他没回信息，意味着他还在生气。
Tā méi huí xìnxī, yìwèi zhe tā hái zài shēngqì.
He didn't reply, which means he's still angry.
估值拉太满，意味着任何利空都可能引发回调。
Gūzhí lā tài mǎn, yìwèi zhe rènhé lìkōng dōu kěnéng yǐnfā huítiáo.
Stretched valuations mean any bit of bad news could trigger a pullback.
Common Mistake
Learners use 意味着 for vocabulary definitions: '苹果意味着 apple.' Wrong register. For definitions, use 是 or 就是. 意味着 is for consequences and implications, not naming.
'Apple' 意味着苹果。
'Apple' 就是苹果的英文。
Don't Confuse With
说明...
说明 = 'demonstrates / shows.' Use 说明 when evidence proves a claim. 意味着 is for implication — what something necessarily entails.
也就是说...
也就是说 = 'in other words' — restates the same fact differently. 意味着 derives a new conclusion from the fact.
代表...
代表 = 'represents / stands for.' Use for symbols and roles ('红色代表危险'). 意味着 is for causal / logical implication.
Practice
他没来，___ 着他不同意。
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意味
下雨了，意味 ___ 比赛取消。
Show answer
着
Arrange: 意味着 / 经济 / 这 / 困难 / 个数据
Show answer
这个数据意味着经济困难。
Prices are rising, which means people will spend less.
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价格在上涨，意味着人们会少消费。
State a fact and its implication using 意味着.
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AI 越来越聪明，意味着很多工作会消失。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: