数学 (shù xué) — mathematics | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

mathematics

Examples

数学。
shù xué Shì hěn yǒu yì si de kē mù.
Mathematics is a very interesting subject.
数学。
Tā shù xué kǎo dé hěn hǎo.
He did very well on the math exam.
数学。
Wǒ měi tiān zuò shù xué zuò yè.
I do math homework every day.

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.

数 refers to numbers and 学 to study; together they name the study of numbers.

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

婁

婁lóu數shù(r)

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

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

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

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