Learn English – Why use “what does this word mean” instead of “how to understand this word”

usage

I used to ask questions as "how do I understand this word", and was told that it's wrong. People suggest me to use "What does this word mean" instead.

Why is this way to query wrong? What about if I change it to "how do I understand this word in this context"?

Best Answer

Only you know how you "do " understand it.

What you want to know is how you "should" understand it. Or, in other words, how most native speakers would understand it. Or in other words, what it means.

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