TongTong
Sign in

自然科学 (zì rán kē xué) — natural science

Definition

noun
natural science

Examples

  • 自然科学。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù duì zì rán kē xué hěn gǎn xìng qù.
    He has been interested in natural science since he was a child.
  • 自然科学。
    zì rán kē xué De yán jiū fāng fǎ qiáng diào shí yàn hé guān chá.
    The research methods of natural science emphasize experimentation and observation.
  • 自然科学。
    Zhè suǒ dà xué yǐ zì rán kē xué hé gōng chéng zhuān yè wén míng.
    This university is famous for its natural science and engineering programs.

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.

自然nature
自zìself然ránso
主谓Subject + predicate
科学science
科kēsubject学xuéstudy
偏正Modifier + head

自然 conveys nature, and 科学 conveys study, so the word means science about nature.

Characters in this word

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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
斗斗dòumeasuring tool
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé科kē
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.

Open 科 →

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 →
Appears in
Science (General)

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.