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命题 (mìng tí) — (v.o.) to set a question, assign a topic; (n.) proposition (math/logic), thesis, statement

Definition

Two senses: as a verb-object, 'to set / assign a question or topic' (e.g. for an exam); as a noun, a 'proposition' in math or logic — a formal statement to be proved or disproved.

(v.o.) to set a questionassign a topic(n.) proposition (math/logic)thesisstatement

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì shì wáng lǎo shī mìng de tí.
    The exam questions this time were set by Teacher Wang.
  • 。
    Jiào shòu zhèng zài wèi yán tǎo huì mìng tí.
    The professor is setting topics for the seminar.
  • 。
    Zhè ge shù xué mìng tí xū yào yán jǐn de zhèng míng.
    This mathematical proposition requires rigorous proof.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

命mìngassign
题títopic

命 assign + 题 topic means to set a topic or question.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →

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 題; 题 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì題tí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 题, the traditional form 題 uses 是 for sound and 頁 for head, and means 'forehead'.

Open 题 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsMath

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