TongTong
Sign in

伦理学 (lún lǐ xué) — ethics (as a field of study)

Definition

noun
ethics (as a field of study)

Examples

  • 伦理学。
    Tā zhèng zài dà xué xué xí lún lǐ xué.
    He is studying ethics at university.
  • 伦理学。
    lún lǐ xué Tǎo lùn shén me shì dào dé de xíng wéi.
    Ethics discusses what constitutes moral behavior.
  • 伦理学。
    Zhè piān lùn wén cóng lún lǐ xué jiǎo dù fēn xī le wèn tí.
    This paper analyzes the issue from an ethical perspective.

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.

伦理moral relations
伦lúnhuman relations理lǐprinciple
联合Coordinate
学xuéstudy

“伦理” means moral relations, “学” means study; together it is the study of ethics.

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 倫; 伦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
侖
侖lún倫lún
Same sound today

The traditional form 倫 uses 人 to show people and 侖 to give its sound; the simplified 伦 is a later shorthand.

Open 伦 →

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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
School Subjects

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