考古学家 (kǎo gǔ xué jiā) — archaeologist

Definition

noun

archaeologist

Measure word · 位

考古学家。
Zhè wèi kǎo gǔ xué jiā zhèng zài wā jué gǔ dài yí zhǐ.
This archaeologist is excavating an ancient site.
考古学家。
kǎo gǔ xué jiā Men tōng guò huà shí yán jiū rén lèi lì shǐ.
Archaeologists study human history through fossils.
考古学家。
Tā shì yì míng zhù míng de kǎo gǔ xué jiā.
He is a famous archaeologist.

Characters in this word

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

耂丂考

In 考, the upper 耂 is an old man with long hair, bent over, and the lower 丂 is a walking cane.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

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.

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.