算术 (suàn shù) — arithmetic | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

arithmetic

算术。
Xiǎo míng de suàn shù chéng jì hěn hǎo.
Xiao Ming's arithmetic grades are very good.
算术。
Zhè dào suàn shù tí hěn jiǎn dān.
This arithmetic problem is very simple.
算术。
Tā cóng xiǎo jiù xǐ huan xué suàn shù.
He has liked studying arithmetic since he was young.

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.

算suàncalculate

术shùart/method

算 (calculate) specifies the kind of 术 (method), giving arithmetic.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

竹目廾算

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

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 術; 术 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

行行xíngstreet, path

Sound part声符shēngfú

朮

朮zhú術shù

Same sound today

The traditional form 術 has 行 (street, path) beside 朮, which gives the sound; the simplified 术 is a later shorthand.

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