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自由主义 (zì yóu zhǔ yì) — liberalism

Definition

A political and economic ideology emphasizing individual freedom, democratic rights, and free-market principles. Often paired with 保守主义 as its opposing ideology.

noun
liberalism

Examples

  • 自由主义。
    zì yóu zhǔ yì Qiáng diào gè rén zì yóu hé shì chǎng jī zhì de zhòng yào xìng.
    Liberalism emphasizes the importance of individual freedom and market mechanisms.
  • 自由主义。
    Tā duì zì yóu zhǔ yì hé bǎo shǒu zhǔ yì dōu yǒu shēn rù de yán jiū.
    He has in-depth research on both liberalism and conservatism.
  • 自由主义。
    Shí jiǔ shì jì ōu zhōu de zì yóu zhǔ yì yùn dòng tuī dòng le mín zhǔ gǎi gé.
    The liberal movement in 19th-century Europe promoted democratic reforms.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

自由freedom
自zìself由yóufollow
联合Coordinate
主义-ism
主zhǔ义yì

自由 means freedom, and 主义 expresses a doctrine, so 自由主义 is liberalism.

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 →

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

It began as a drawing of new shoots or leaves growing upward from a plant-like base.

Open 由 →

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →
Appears in
Government & Politics

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