ambiguity; multiple interpretations
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
ambiguity (in language or text); having multiple possible interpretations
formalA linguistic or textual phenomenon where a word, phrase, or sentence can be understood in more than one way. This is a key concept in linguistics, law, and communication.
Zhè这
ge个
hé合
tong同
tiáo条
kuǎn款
cún存
zài在
qí歧
yì义
，
xū需
yào要
xiū修
gǎi改
。
There is ambiguity in this contract clause; it needs to be revised.
Tā他
shuō说
de的
nà那
jù句
huà话
yǒu有
qí歧
yì义
，
wǒ我
men们
bù不
zhī知
dào道
tā他
jù具
tǐ体
zhǐ指
shén什
me么
。
His sentence was ambiguous; we didn't know what he specifically meant.
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Wèi为
le了
bì避
miǎn免
qí歧
yì义
，
fǎ法
lǜ律
wén文
jiàn件
bì必
xū须
yòng用
cí词
jīng精
què确
。
To avoid ambiguity, legal documents must use precise wording.
“
Yǎo咬
sǐ死
le了
liè猎
rén人
de的
gǒu狗
”
shì是
yī一
gè个
jīng经
diǎn典
de的
qí歧
yì义
jù句
。
"The dog that bit the hunter dead" is a classic example of an ambiguous sentence.