话题 (huà tí) — topic, subject (of a talk or conversation)

Definition

话题 is 'topic of conversation' — the subject people are talking about. 主题 is more formal and written, used for themes of a speech, event, or work.

noun

topicsubject (of a talk or conversation)

Measure word · 个

话题。
Wǒ men huàn gè huà tí ba.
Let's change the topic.
话题。
Dà jiā duì zhè ge huà tí hěn gǎn xìng qù.
Everyone is very interested in this topic.
。
Jīn tiān de huà tí shì guān yú lǚ xíng.
Today's topic is about travel.

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.

题tísubject

话题 is the 题 or subject of a 话 or conversation.

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 話; 话 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠯑

𠯑𠯑話huà

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 話, 言 relates to words and 𠯑 gives the sound; the simplified 话 is a shorthand, so its right side is not that sound part.

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 題; 题 is its simplified writing.

是頁題

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

是

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 题, the traditional form 題 uses 是 for sound and 頁 for head, and means 'forehead'.

Appears in