教务长 (jiào wù zhǎng) — dean of studies

Definition

noun
dean of studies
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 教务长。
    jiào wù zhǎng Fù zé quán xiào de jiào xué guǎn lǐ gōng zuò.
    The dean of studies is responsible for the academic management of the whole school.
  • 教务长，。
    Xīn lái de jiào wù zhǎng hěn yǒu jīng yàn, gǎi gé le kè chéng tǐ xì.
    The newly arrived dean of studies is very experienced and reformed the curriculum system.
  • 教务长。
    Xué xiào rèn mìng le yí wèi zī shēn jiào shòu dān rèn jiào wù zhǎng.
    The university appointed a senior professor to serve as dean of studies.

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.

教务academic affairs
教jiàoteaching务wùaffairs
偏正Modifier + head
长chángchief

'教务' means academic affairs and '长' means chief, together naming the person in charge.

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
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →

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 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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