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渊博 (yuān bó) — profound and broad (of knowledge); erudite

Definition

Used almost only to describe a person's knowledge or learning — 'erudite, deeply learned.' More literary than 博学 and stronger, suggesting deep, wide-ranging scholarship.

adjective
profound and broad (of knowledge)erudite

Examples

  • 渊博。
    Tā de zhī shi fēi cháng yuān bó.
    His knowledge is very profound and broad.
  • 渊博，。
    Zhè wèi xué zhě xué wèn yuān bó, lìng rén jìng pèi.
    This scholar's learning is profound and admirable.
  • 渊博。
    Tā shì yí wèi yuān bó de jiào shòu.
    He is a profoundly learned professor.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

渊yuāndeep
博bóbroad

渊 'deep' and 博 'broad' combine to describe profound, extensive knowledge.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 淵; 渊 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 淵 began as a picture of a basin with water, and later forms added vertical strokes like riverbanks around it.

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
十十shíten
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū博
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from combining 十 (ten) with 尃; 尃 gives the sound.

Open 博 →
Appears in
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