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理论家 (lǐ lùn jiā) — theoretician; theorist

Definition

noun
theoreticiantheorist
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 理论家。
    Zhè wèi lǐ lùn jiā tí chū le yí gè quán xīn de lǐ lùn.
    This theoretician proposed a brand-new theory.
  • 理论家。
    Hěn duō lǐ lùn jiā dōu zài yán jiū zhè ge wèn tí.
    Many theorists are studying this problem.
  • 理论家。
    Tā shì yí wèi zhù míng de zhèng zhì lǐ lùn jiā.
    He is a famous political theorist.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

理论theory
理lǐprinciple论lùndiscourse
联合Coordinate
家jiāperson

理论 denotes theory, and 家 points to a person associated with it, giving a person who theorizes.

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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 論; 论 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
侖
侖lún論lùn
Same sound today

The traditional form 論 pairs 言 (“say”) with 侖 as a sound component; the simplified 论 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 论 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →
Appears in
Professions & JobsScience (General)

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