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博学 (bó xué) — learned, erudite

Definition

Adjective for a person: learned, with wide and deep knowledge. 好学 is a verb meaning 'fond of learning' (a trait of character); 博学 describes the result — being erudite.

adjective
learnederudite

Examples

  • 博学。
    Tā shì yí wèi fēi cháng bó xué de jiào shòu.
    He is a highly erudite professor.
  • 博学，。
    Tā shuō zì jǐ bú suàn bó xué, zhǐ shì zhī dào yì diǎn pí máo.
    She says she's not really learned, just knows a little bit.
  • 博学，、。
    Xiǎng yào biàn de bó xué, jiù xū yào duō dú shū, duō sī kǎo.
    If you want to become erudite, you need to read more and think more.

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.

博bóbroad
学xuélearning

The 学 (learning) is 博 (broad), making a person learned.

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
十十shíten
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū博
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from combining 十 (ten) with 尃; 尃 gives the sound.

Open 博 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Personality & TraitsSchool & Education

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