也就是说

• Pinyin: yě jiù shì shuō
• Hanzi breakdown: 也 = affirmation particle; 就 = 尢 (bent) + 京 (high place — 'right at/immediately'); 是 = copula; 说 = 讠(speech) + 兑 (exchange — to express through verbal exchange)

Meaning

That is to say; in other words; meaning that. Used to rephrase, clarify, or draw a conclusion from what was just stated.

A discourse marker that introduces a restatement, clarification, or logical consequence of the preceding information. Equivalent to English 'that is to say', 'in other words', or 'which means'. Widely used in spoken explanation, academic writing, and logical argument.

Examples

1. 系统将于本周五零时起停止服务，也就是说，用户必须在此之前完成所有数据的备份和迁移。 The system will stop providing service starting at midnight this Friday; in other words, users must complete all data backups and migrations before then.
2. 这款产品的目标用户是月收入一万元以上的职场人士，也就是说，它的定价策略从一开始就不是面向大众市场的。 This product targets working professionals with a monthly income of over 10,000 yuan; that is to say, its pricing strategy was never aimed at the mass market from the start.
3. 他本次考试的分数低于录取线十五分，也就是说，他需要明年重新参加考试才有机会进入这所学校。 His score on this exam was 15 points below the admission cutoff; meaning he’ll need to retake the exam next year to have a chance of getting into this school.

Usage Guide

Context: explanation, academic, logic, spoken

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 最新人口普查显示，该市常住人口已超两千万，也就是说，它已跻身特大城市。(The latest census shows that the city's permanent population has exceeded twenty million, which means it has entered the ranks of megacities.)
• 合同规定，签约后六十天内若单方终止协议，须付总额30%违约金，也就是说，提前退出代价很高。(The contract states that if either party ends the agreement unilaterally within sixty days of signing, it must pay a 30% penalty; in other words, withdrawing early is very costly.)

Don't Say

• 也就是说但是 — 也就是说 signals a restatement or conclusion; adding 但是 immediately after creates a logical contradiction; if a contrast follows, start a new sentence or use 不过 after completing the restatement

Origin & History

也 (also/indeed — a particle of affirmation) + 就是 (is exactly/means — 就 at once + 是 to be) + 说 (to say — 讠speech + 兑 exchange; to express through speech)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal