政治 (zhèng zhì) — politics; political (as a modifier) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Noun for 'politics' as a field or system of governance — also used as a modifier ('political', 政治问题). Distinct from 政策 ('policy', a specific plan) and 政权 ('regime', a governing authority).

noun

politicspolitical (as a modifier)

Examples

政治。
Tā zhèng zài xué xí zhèng zhì jīng jì.
He is studying political economics.
政治。
Wǒ men tǎo lùn le jīn tiān de zhèng zhì wèn tí.
We discussed today's political issues.
政治。
Tā duì zhèng zhì hěn liǎo jiě.
He knows a lot about politics.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

政zhènggovernment affairs

治zhìgovernance

政 and 治 both concern governing public affairs, so 政治 is politics.

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

攴攴pūaction

Sound part声符shēngfú

正

正zhèng政zhèng

Same sound today

政 combines 正, which gives the sound, with 攴, an action-related part.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

台

台tái治zhì

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

治 has 水 (water) and 台; 台 gives the sound, and the character named a river.

Appears in

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