古典主义 (gǔ diǎn zhǔ yì) — classicism

Definition

A Western art and literary movement emphasizing reason, order, and harmony (roughly 17th–18th century, e.g. European painting and literature). Translate as 'classicism'; not the everyday sense of 'classical music' (古典乐).

noun
classicism

Examples

  • 古典主义。
    gǔ diǎn zhǔ yì Duì ōu zhōu huì huà yǐng xiǎng hěn dà.
    Classicism had a great influence on European painting.
  • 古典主义。
    Zhè zuò jiàn zhù jù yǒu gǔ diǎn zhǔ yì fēng gé.
    This building has a classicist style.
  • 古典主义。
    gǔ diǎn zhǔ yì Wén xué qiáng diào lǐ xìng hé zhì xù.
    Classicist literature emphasizes reason and order.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

古典classical
古gǔancient典diǎnclassic
偏正Modifier + head
主义doctrine
主zhǔprincipal义yìmeaning
偏正Modifier + head

古典 means ancient classics, 主义 gives the sense of a doctrine; together it names classicism.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

Open 古 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 冊冊cèbooks
  • 丌丌qítable

典 puts 冊 (books) on a 丌 (table), showing official books resting on a table.

Open 典 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →

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