<p>”我懂四川“ - I understand Sichuan, is an objectionable claim without followed by a specific subject such as 四川<strong>話</strong>, or 四川<strong>人</strong>. Otherwise, it equates to saying &quot;I understand New York, which is a pointless sentence.</p>
<p>In this case, 了/瞭解 is the correct term to use, which has the same meaning as 懂, but with a more comprehensive and non-subject specific sense - 我瞭解四川 = I understand Sichuan <strong>well</strong> (around).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-05T19:05:01.187Z
2022-06-05T19:05:01.187Z
r13
<p><code>了解</code> will be more appropriate for the sense of <code>know the place very well</code></p>
<p>For example,</p>
<blockquote>
<p><code>我懂數學</code> will be a different sense. <code>我懂數學</code> means <code>I am good at mathematics</code></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>an example: <code>他們認為我能勝任，因為我懂數學</code></p>
</blockquote>
<p>If Octopodes is looking for a recent work, from a short paragraph of the following author (in 2022 Apr)</p>
<p><code>我懂 (the title)</code></p>
<blockquote>
<p>文  / 宣教部 蕭錦鋒 主任牧師</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>兩位婆婆在中國四川南充市社區公園座椅閒話家常，當話題轉到婆媳之間時，一位婆婆滔滔不絕述說委屈。另一位婆婆專注聽完後，起身將左手放在拐杖上支撐身體重量，右手放在對方肩膀上說：「妳說什麼<strong>我懂</strong>的，因為我<strong>也是過來人</strong>。」</p>
</blockquote>
<p><code>我懂</code> means <code>I had experienced (for this short paragraph)</code></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-05T03:35:26.790Z
也是過來人 suggests "I experienced",  not "我懂的" (I know/understand).
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-05T03:37:13.017Z
「妳說什麼我懂的，因為我也是過來人。」= "I know what you are saying because I  was there and experienced it too"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-05T03:14:06.087Z
2022-06-05T04:28:55.567Z
2022-06-05T04:28:55.567Z
envs_h_gang_5
<p>我懂四川 = &quot;I understand/know Sichuan&quot;. It is a valid sentence. It means &quot;我了(瞭)解四川(這地方)&quot;</p>
<p>You feel this sentence sounds unnatural because the term &quot;understand&quot; in Chinese mostly refers to 了(瞭)解. Using 懂 is more literary than colloquial</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-05T20:28:53.420Z
You are correct, as one can't "懂"四川這地方 but "了(瞭)解". It is quite difficult to explain/grab the concept though.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-05T03:20:06.120Z
2022-06-05T03:20:06.120Z
Tang Ho
<p>As a Chinese, I think we often use sentences like &quot;我了解四川&quot; instead. &quot;我懂四川&quot; often appears in literature, with the effect of personification, just like SiChuan is a person and I understand her very well. You may briefly translate &quot;我懂四川&quot; the same as &quot;我了解四川&quot;, but actually the former sometimes implies a stronger emotion than the latter. Anyway, it is necessary to decide its meaning through the context.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-06T14:17:12.863Z
2022-06-06T14:17:12.863Z
OrthoPole
<p>现代汉语尽量避免单字的动词。“懂”是个单字动词，在古文里可能存在，但在现代汉语中非常突兀，一般会替换成“了解”。这是一种弱化，类似于英语的can改用could，will改用would，但在攻击时反而会使用，例如“你还懂这个？” “你到底懂不懂？” “不懂就别说话！”</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-22T14:25:12.260Z
2022-06-22T14:25:12.260Z
George Y
<p>For example, could the sentence ”我懂四川“ sound natural at all? If so, could it mean you know the place <em>very</em> well, possibly even in a nostalgic or essential sense?</p>

<usage><word>
Can “懂” be used (as a verb) before a place name?
# Can “懂” be used (as a verb) before a place name?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-05)

For example, could the sentence ”我懂四川“ sound natural at all? If so, could it mean you know the place *very* well, possibly even in a nostalgic or essential sense?

**Tags:** usage, word

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-06-05. Score: 4

”我懂四川“ - I understand Sichuan, is an objectionable claim without followed by a specific subject such as 四川**話**, or 四川**人**. Otherwise, it equates to saying "I understand New York, which is a pointless sentence.

In this case, 了/瞭解 is the correct term to use, which has the same meaning as 懂, but with a more comprehensive and non-subject specific sense - 我瞭解四川 = I understand Sichuan **well** (around).


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-06-05. Score: 4

`了解` will be more appropriate for the sense of `know the place very well`

For example,

> `我懂數學` will be a different sense. `我懂數學` means `I am good at mathematics`

> an example: `他們認為我能勝任，因為我懂數學`

If Octopodes is looking for a recent work, from a short paragraph of the following author (in 2022 Apr)

`我懂 (the title)`

> 文 / 宣教部 蕭錦鋒 主任牧師

> 兩位婆婆在中國四川南充市社區公園座椅閒話家常，當話題轉到婆媳之間時，一位婆婆滔滔不絕述說委屈。另一位婆婆專注聽完後，起身將左手放在拐杖上支撐身體重量，右手放在對方肩膀上說：「妳說什麼**我懂**的，因為我**也是過來人**。」

`我懂` means `I had experienced (for this short paragraph)`

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: 也是過來人 suggests "I experienced",  not "我懂的" (I know/understand).  
> **username_3**: 「妳說什麼我懂的，因為我也是過來人。」= "I know what you are saying because I  was there and experienced it too"  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-06-05. Score: 3

我懂四川 = "I understand/know Sichuan". It is a valid sentence. It means "我了(瞭)解四川(這地方)"

You feel this sentence sounds unnatural because the term "understand" in Chinese mostly refers to 了(瞭)解. Using 懂 is more literary than colloquial

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You are correct, as one can't "懂"四川這地方 but "了(瞭)解". It is quite difficult to explain/grab the concept though.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2022-06-06. Score: 3

As a Chinese, I think we often use sentences like "我了解四川" instead. "我懂四川" often appears in literature, with the effect of personification, just like SiChuan is a person and I understand her very well. You may briefly translate "我懂四川" the same as "我了解四川", but actually the former sometimes implies a stronger emotion than the latter. Anyway, it is necessary to decide its meaning through the context.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2022-06-22. Score: 1

现代汉语尽量避免单字的动词。“懂”是个单字动词，在古文里可能存在，但在现代汉语中非常突兀，一般会替换成“了解”。这是一种弱化，类似于英语的can改用could，will改用would，但在攻击时反而会使用，例如“你还懂这个？” “你到底懂不懂？” “不懂就别说话！”


---

