动物学 (dòng wù xué) — zoology

Definition

noun
zoology

Examples

  • 动物学，。
    Tā dà xué zhǔ xiū dòng wù xué, bì yè hòu qù le yě wài yán jiū jī dì.
    He majored in zoology in college and went to a field research station after graduation.
  • 动物学。
    Zhè běn dòng wù xué jiào cái xiáng xì jiè shào le kūn chóng de fēn lèi.
    This zoology textbook introduces the classification of insects in detail.
  • 动物学，。
    Suí zhe dòng wù xué de fā zhǎn, rén men duì dòng wù xíng wéi de lǐ jiě yuè lái yuè shēn rù.
    With the development of zoology, people's understanding of animal behavior has become increasingly deeper.

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.

动物animal
动dòngmove物wùthing
偏正Modifier + head
学xuéstudy

“动物” names an animal, and “学” denotes study, so it means zoology.

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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
牛牛niú
Sound part声符shēngfú
勿
勿wù物wù
Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Open 物 →

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 →

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