症结

zhēng jié

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Noun Rare

Definitions

1. hard lump in the abdomen (in Chinese medicine)
2. crux of an issue
3. main point in an argument
4. sticking point
5. deadlock in negotiations

Word relationships

Related words

3 items

• 焦点 jiāo diǎn 焦点 jiāo diǎn focal point; focus (lit. and fig.) 问题的集中点，与症结意义相近但强调关注的中心: focal point; focus (lit. and fig.)
• 难题 nán tí 难题 nán tí difficult problem 难以解决的问题，症结常指难题的核心: difficult problem
• 解决 jiě jué 解决 jiě jué to solve; to resolve; to settle (a problem) 常用于“解决问题的症结”，是常见搭配: to solve; to resolve; to settle (a problem)

Synonyms

1 item

• 关键 guān jiàn 关键 guān jiàn crucial point 指问题或事情最重要的部分: crucial point

Usage notes

Collocations

“症结”常与“找到”“在于”“是”等词搭配，如“找到问题的症结”。用于正式或书面语境。

Common mistakes

注意“症”读zhēng，不读zhèng；仅“症结”一词读zhēng，其他如“症状”读zhèng。

Example Sentences

1 shown

他们终于找到了问题的 症结 。

They finally found the crux of the problem.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 症结

• 结 结 jiē: (of a plant) to produce (fruit or seeds)
• 结 结 jié: knot
• 症 症 zhèng: disease
• 症 症 zhēng: abdominal tumor