哲学 (zhé xué) — philosophy | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

哲学 (zhéxué) is the academic discipline of philosophy — the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, and values. Unlike 理念 (a guiding principle or abstract concept), 哲学 refers to the formal field of study.

noun

philosophy

Measure word · 个

Examples

哲学。
Tā zhèng zài dà xué dú zhé xué zhuān yè.
He is studying philosophy as his major at university.
哲学。
Zhè běn zhé xué shū ràng wǒ sī kǎo le hěn duō wèn tí.
This philosophy book made me think about many questions.
哲学？
Nǐ xǐ huan yán jiū zhé xué ma?
Do you like studying philosophy?

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.

哲 (wisdom) and 学 (study) combine to mean the study of wisdom.

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.

折口哲

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

折

折zhé哲zhé

Same sound today

The form 哲 pairs 口 (mouth) with 折, which gives the sound.

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.

爻爻yáo
六六liù

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 School Subjects

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