统计学 (tǒng jì xué) — statistics (the field or subject)

Definition

noun
statistics (the field or subject)

Examples

  • 统计学
    Tā zhèng zài dà xué gōng dú tǒng jì xué.
    He is studying statistics at university.
  • 统计学
    Zhè piān lùn wén yùn yòng le tǒng jì xué de fāng fǎ lái fēn xī shù jù.
    This paper uses statistical methods to analyze the data.
  • 统计学
    Xué xí tǒng jì xué xū yào jiào qiáng de shù xué jī chǔ.
    Learning statistics requires a strong foundation in mathematics.

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.

统计collect and calculate
tǒngbring togethercalculate
联合Coordinate
xuéstudy

统 means bring together, 计 means calculate, and 学 is study, so it names the study of collecting and calculating data.

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 統; 统 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
chōngtǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 統 uses 糸 as a meaning part and 充 as a sound part; the simplified 统 is a later shorthand, so this story is about 統, not about 统's parts.

Open 统 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.

Open 计 →

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.

Open 学 →

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