在校生 (zài xiào shēng) — current student(s); enrolled student(s)

Definition

A student currently enrolled at a school — emphasizes being on campus / registered now, not past alumni or applicants. Contrast with 毕业生 (graduated/alumni).

noun
current student(s)enrolled student(s)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 在校生。
    Zhè ge xué xiào de zài xiào shēng chāo guò yí wàn rén.
    The current students at this school exceed ten thousand.
  • 在校生。
    zài xiào shēng Kě yǐ miǎn fèi shǐ yòng tú shū guǎn.
    Current students can use the library for free.
  • 在校生。
    Jīn nián de zài xiào shēng rén shù bǐ qù nián zēng jiā le bù shǎo.
    The number of current students this year has increased quite a bit compared to last year.

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.

在校at school
在zàibe at校xiàoschool
动宾Verb + object
生shēngstudent

在校 gives being at school, and 生 gives student, so it means an enrolled student.

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.

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

Open 在 →

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
交
交jiāo校jiào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

校 is built from 木 (tree) on the left and 交 on the right, which supplies the sound.

Open 校 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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