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学位 (xué wèi) — academic degree

Definition

学位 (xuéwèi) is the official academic degree (bachelor's, master's, PhD) awarded by a university. Contrast with 学历, which is your educational background/qualifications, and 程度, which is a general level or extent.

noun
academic degree
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 学位。
    Tā huò dé le shuò shì xué wèi.
    He obtained a master's degree.
  • 学位。
    Tā zhèng zài shēn qǐng xué shì xué wèi.
    She is applying for a bachelor's degree.
  • 学位。
    Zhè ge gōng zuò xū yào dà xué xué wèi.
    This job requires a university degree.

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.

学xuéstudy
位wèiposition

学 (study) and 位 (position) combine to mean a degree position.

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.

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.

Open 学 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì位wèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Open 位 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Exams & Grades

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