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To communicate the genuine meaning or purpose behind one's words or actions.
演讲者费了很大劲才表达本意，因为观众一开始误解了他的立场。
The speaker struggled to express his true intention because the audience initially misunderstood his stance.
这封邮件没有表达本意，导致合作伙伴产生了误会。
The email didn't express the true intention, leading to a misunderstanding with the partner.
Often used in contexts where clarity is crucial, such as negotiations, presentations, or interpersonal communication.
When using '表达本意', ensure the context makes it clear that you are referring to the underlying intention rather than the literal words. For example, '他说的话没有表达本意' means 'What he said did not reflect his true intention.'
In Chinese communication, '表达本意' often highlights the gap between spoken words and the speaker's actual motivation. Always consider whether the speaker is being direct or indirect in their phrasing.
The phrase combines '表达' (biǎodá, to express) and '本意' (běnyì, original intention). '本意' is a compound noun where '本' means 'original' or 'true' and '意' means 'intention' or 'meaning'. The phrase emerged in modern Chinese to emphasize the distinction between literal communication and the speaker's underlying purpose.
This phrase is commonly used in formal or semi-formal contexts to stress the importance of honesty or clarity in communication. It is less common in casual speech where simpler expressions like '说心里话' (speak from the heart) might suffice.