A simple word with a difficult variety of meanings, which in dictionary standard definition can mean:

-'Knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something: an understanding of accounting practice'

Or another one:

-'Mental process of a person who comprehends; comprehension; personal interpretation: My understanding of the word does not agree with yours'


My personal opinion: To understand somebody, you are saying you have the ability to comprehend and relate, to some extent, their mood or their thoughts.

Take for example the people you have grown up with, or the people who surround you on a routine basis to the point in which you can almost predict their next move because you've had so much time to watch them, or get to know them.

If they were to feel something like hurt, and allowed themselves to sub-consciously or sometimes even actively show this, you'd probably pick it up and instantly, if you had realised, you'd understand. Everybody has hurt at some point in their life, right? Regardless of the cause, it's an emotion that's relatable. It would make sense to you that they were hurt because you would have recognised a change in their behaviour or manner already and your mind would realise you've been in the same place. So you'd understand the changes in them, your reaction, however, would depend on what kind of person you are.

Let's try another example. You're in a content friendship where you have a truly special bond that has involved a lot of trust and years of development in order to get the strength it has achieved. Your friend turns their back on you gradually, and you realise that things are beginning to dramatically change in your friendship. Little things that used to mean nothing, because they were taken for granted have now become apparant as they have begun to dissapear and you feel the need to find out what's gone wrong.

Have you done something wrong? Have they found other people to hang out with? Have you both naturally grown apart?

You ask, and there is a conversation. You talk and there is agreement. You listen but you feel like their reasons are false, like they can't possibly be true considering how close you are. You disagree, but you don't want to risk making things really bad, plus you don't have the ability to argue considering how crap you feel about losing someone. So you close your mouth, nod your head like you UNDERSTAND what is happening and how it all came about, and then you walk away stunned wondering how things got to be that way.

Tough, right?

Understanding. A simple word with a tough meaning.