得知

• Pinyin: dé zhī
• Hanzi breakdown: 得 = 彳 + 旦 + 寸 (to obtain); 知 = 矢 + 口 (to know — arrow reaching the mark)

Meaning

To learn of; to come to know; to find out. Describes receiving information about something, often formally or through a specific channel.

More formal than 知道 or 听说. Used in official announcements, news reports, and written communication to indicate the moment of learning something important.

Examples

1. 她得知自己被录取时，激动得流下了眼泪。 When she found out she’d been accepted, she was so moved that she burst into tears.
2. 公司管理层昨日得知审计结果，随即召开紧急会议。 Company leadership learned of the audit results yesterday and immediately called an emergency meeting.
3. 他从报道中得知故乡发生了严重洪涝灾害。 He learned from the news reports that his hometown had suffered severe flooding.

Usage Guide

Context: news, official communication, academic writing

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 记者得知消息后立即赶赴现场进行采访。(The reporter immediately headed to the scene for an interview upon receiving the news.)
• 她得知父亲病重，连夜赶回老家探望。(Upon learning that her father was seriously ill, she rushed home overnight to visit.)

Don't Say

• 我得知他在哪里 — sounds stilted in spoken language; use 我知道他在哪里 or 我打听到他在哪里 for casual speech

Origin & History

得 (obtain) + 知 (know)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal