低温学 (dī wēn xué) — cryogenics; low-temperature physics

Definition

The academic field studying materials and phenomena at very low temperatures, known in English as cryogenics. As a 学 (study of) term, it pairs with 研究 or 进展, not with concrete action verbs.

noun
cryogenicslow-temperature physics

Examples

  • 低温学。
    Tā zài dà xué yán jiū dī wēn xué.
    He studies cryogenics at the university.
  • 低温学。
    dī wēn xué Zài háng tiān lǐng yù yǒu zhòng yào yìng yòng.
    Cryogenics has important applications in the aerospace field.
  • 低温学。
    Zhè piān lùn wén tǎo lùn le dī wēn xué de zuì xīn jìn zhǎn.
    This paper discusses the latest advances in cryogenics.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

低温low temperature
低dīlow温wēntemperature
偏正Modifier + head
学xuéstudy

低温学 names the study of 低温 (low temperature) in physics.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénman, person
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī低dī
Same sound today

In 低, the left side 亻 is a person, and the right side 氐 gives the sound; the image is a person lowering or bowing themselves.

Open 低 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 溫; 温 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 溫 is based on an older form 𥁕, which drew a person bathing in a container full of warm water. The simplified 温 is a later variant.

Open 温 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 學; 学 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 學 may have used 爻 and 六 for sound, with hands and a child added later; the simplified 学 is a shorthand.

Open 学 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.