科学史 (kē xué shǐ) — history of science

Definition

noun

history of science

。
Zhè běn kē xué shǐ jiào cái hán gài le cóng gǔ dài dào xiàn dài de kē xué fā zhǎn.
This history-of-science textbook covers scientific development from ancient to modern times.
科学史，。
Tā duì kē xué shǐ hěn gǎn xìng qù, yóu qí xǐ huan yán jiū wén yì fù xīng shí qī de kē xué.
He is very interested in the history of science, especially studying science during the Renaissance.
科学史。
Xué xí kē xué shǐ néng bāng zhù wǒ men lǐ jiě kē xué lǐ lùn de yǎn biàn guò chéng.
Studying the history of science helps us understand the evolution of scientific theories.

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.

科学science

科学 means science, and 史 means history; together they name the history of science.

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.

禾斗科

Meaning part形符xíngfú

斗斗dòumeasuring tool

Sound part声符shēngfú

禾

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

科 pairs 禾, which gives the hé sound, with 斗, a measuring tool.

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.

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.

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

The old drawing showed someone holding a flag-like or writing tool, indicating the act of recording events; the exact inner shape is unclear.