症结

zhēng jié

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Noun Rare

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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

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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