中心思想

zhōng xīn sī xiǎng
main idea

这篇文章的中心思想是什么?

What is the main idea of this article?


formal

The central or most important idea in a text, speech, or discussion.

老师让我们总结每一段的中心思想。

The teacher asked us to summarize the main idea of each paragraph.

这部电影的中心思想是关于环保的重要性。

The central theme of this movie is the importance of environmental protection.

Commonly used in academic, literary, and formal contexts to identify the core message of a work.

Collocations

文章的中心思想main idea of the article中心思想总结summary of the main idea中心思想分析analysis of the main idea

Related Phrases

主题句phrase
topic sentence
中心论点phrase
central argument

Pro Tip

Identifying the main idea

Look for repeated words or phrases in the text, as they often highlight the central theme. The main idea is usually supported by supporting details in the surrounding sentences.

Gold Rule

Avoid confusion with supporting details

The center idea is the 'big picture,' not the minor points. Supporting details explain or expand on the main idea but are not the main idea itself.

Word Origin

Composed of '中心' (center/central) and '思想' (thought/idea), reflecting the concept of the core idea around which other elements revolve.

Usage Notes

Used to identify the primary message or theme in written or spoken content. Often appears in educational contexts, such as reading comprehension exercises or essay writing instructions.

Word Breakdown

中心
center/central
root
+
思想
thought/idea
root
汉英词典