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半信半疑地
bàn xìn bàn yí de
half believingly
他半信半疑地点了点头。
He nodded half believingly.
neutral
With half belief and half doubt; in a hesitant or uncertain manner.
她半信半疑地接过那封信，不知道里面写了什么。
She took the letter half believingly, unsure of what was inside.
警方半信半疑地听着他的解释。
The police listened to his explanation with half belief and half doubt.
Often used to describe a person's attitude when they are neither fully convinced nor completely skeptical.
Pro Tip
Usage in Sentences
Use '半信半疑地' to describe actions taken with hesitation or uncertainty, especially when the subject is not fully convinced. It often follows verbs like '看' (look), '听' (listen), '接受' (accept), or '点头' (nod).
Gold Rule
Avoid Literal Translation
Do not translate '半信半疑地' word-for-word as 'half believing half doubtingly.' Instead, use 'half believingly' or 'with half belief and half doubt' to convey the intended nuance.
Word Origin
The phrase combines the characters 半 (half), 信 (believe), and 疑 (doubt), reflecting a state of partial belief and partial skepticism. The structure mirrors the idiomatic expression '半...半...' (half... half...) used in Chinese to express mixed feelings or uncertainty.
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to describe a hesitant or uncertain attitude. It is not typically used in formal or technical contexts.
Word Breakdown
半
half
root信
believe
root半
half
root疑
doubt
root地
adverbial suffix
suffix汉英词典