力学 (lì xué) — mechanics (branch of physics studying forces an…

Definition

力学 (lìxué) is the branch of physics that studies forces and motion — not 'studying hard'. In English, 'mechanics.'

noun

mechanics (branch of physics studying forces and motion)

力学。
Tā zài dà xué xué de shì gōng chéng lì xué.
He studied engineering mechanics at university.
力学。
lì xué Shì wù lǐ xué de yí gè zhòng yào fēn zhī.
Mechanics is an important branch of physics.
力学。
Zhè běn lì xué jiào cái jiǎng le hěn duō jīng diǎn lǐ lùn.
This mechanics textbook covers many classical theories.

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.

“力” means force and “学” means study, so the word is the study of forces and motion.

Characters in this word

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

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

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.