史学家 (shǐ xué jiā) — historian | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

historian

Measure word · 位

史学家。
Zhè wèi shǐ xué jiā yán jiū zhōng guó gǔ dài shǐ.
This historian studies ancient Chinese history.
史学家。
Hěn duō shǐ xué jiā duì zhè duàn lì shǐ yǒu bù tóng de kàn fǎ.
Many historians have different views on this period of history.
史学家。
Tā shì yí wèi zhù míng de shǐ xué jiā.
He is a famous historian.

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.

史学history

偏正Modifier + head

“史” means history, “学” means study, and “家” means person, so it denotes a person who studies history.

Characters in this word

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

The old drawing showed someone holding a flag-like or writing tool, indicating the act of recording events; the exact inner shape is unclear.

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.

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

宀宀miánroof

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢑓

𢑓𢑓家jiā

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.