解
jiě
to divide
to break up; to split; to separate; to dissolve; to solve; to melt; to remove; to untie; to loosen; to open; to emancipate; to explain; to understand; to know; a solution; a dissection
horn (角) + knife (刀) + ox (牛) = cut apart and understand
The original image is a butcher using a knife to separate a horn from an ox — the act of careful dismemberment gives rise to all senses of splitting apart, untying, and ultimately understanding (to break a problem into its parts).
他花了很长时间才解开这个绳结。
tā huā le hěn cháng shí jiān cái jiě kāi zhè ge shéng jié。
He spent a very long time before finally untying this knot.
老师慢慢地解释，帮助学生理解这道难题。
lǎo shī màn màn de jiě shì，bāng zhù xué shēng lǐ jiě zhè dào nán tí。
The teacher explained slowly, helping the students understand this difficult problem.
Words with 解
告解
gào jiě
(Catholicism) to confess; confession
支解
zhī jiě
variant of 肢解[zhi1 jie3]
周期解
zhōu qī jiě
periodic solution (math.)
递解
dì jiè
to escort a criminal under guard (in former times)
远未解决
yuǎn wèi jiě jué
far from solved
远水不解近渴
yuǎn shuǐ bù jiě jìn kě
lit. distant water does not cure present thirst; fig. urgent need
酵解作用
jiào jiě zuò yòng
zymolysis
错解
cuò jiě
misinterpretation
开解
kāi jiě
to straighten out
阅读理解
yuè dú lǐ jiě
reading comprehension
降解
jiàng jiě
(chemistry) degradation
题解
tí jiě
notes