抽象地说 (chōu xiàng de shuō)

adverbial phrase HSK 5

Traditional 抽象地說

chōu xiàng de shuō

speaking abstractly · to put it abstractly · in abstract terms

Meaning

This phrase introduces a statement that will be made in abstract, theoretical, or general terms rather than concrete specifics. It's used when you want to discuss concepts at a higher level of generalization, stepping back from particular examples or details.

Usage

Commonly used in academic, philosophical, or analytical discussions to signal a shift to more theoretical territory. Native speakers use this when transitioning from concrete examples to broader principles, or when they want to clarify they're speaking conceptually rather than about specific cases. Often appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause.

Examples

01
抽象地说，艺术是人类表达情感和思想的一种方式。
Chōu xiàng de shuō, yì shù shì rén lèi biǎo dá qíng gǎn hé sī xiǎng de yī zhǒng fāng shì.
Speaking abstractly, art is a way for humans to express emotions and thoughts.
02
抽象地说，这个问题涉及到权力与责任的关系。
Chōu xiàng de shuō, zhè ge wèn tí shè jí dào quán lì yǔ zé rèn de guān xi.
To put it abstractly, this issue involves the relationship between power and responsibility.

Characters

Antonyms

具体地说jù tǐ de shuōspeaking concretely

Origin

抽象 literally means 'to extract (抽) the image/form (象)', capturing the process of deriving general concepts from concrete particulars. Combined with 地说 (speaking in a manner of), it forms an adverbial expression.