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Q&A Is it really true that all Chinese words have one syllable?

I'm sure a lot of people have heard it before: the statement "All Chinese words are one syllable (or character)." And because someone is going to ask, no, this is not just a Western thought - my Ma...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Moshi‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by Sigma‭

Question
#3: Post edited by user avatar Moshi‭ · 2020-08-25T02:59:58Z (about 4 years ago)
  • Is it <i>really</i> true that all Chinese words have one syllable?
  • Is it really true that all Chinese words have one syllable?
#2: Post edited by user avatar Moshi‭ · 2020-08-25T02:59:48Z (about 4 years ago)
  • Is it *really* true that all Chinese words have one syllable?
  • Is it <i>really</i> true that all Chinese words have one syllable?
#1: Initial revision by user avatar Moshi‭ · 2020-08-25T02:59:32Z (about 4 years ago)
Is it *really* true that all Chinese words have one syllable?
I'm sure *a lot* of people have heard it before: the statement "All Chinese words are one syllable (or character)." And because someone is going to ask, no, this is not just a Western thought - my Mandarin teacher (who is from Taiwan) also said this to me.

Personally, I find the whole argument pointless because defining what a word is in a language without spaces is... difficult to say the least. However, as with all pointless arguments, it's got to be debated on the internet.

So, to what degree is this statement true?