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历史课 (lì shǐ kè) — history class; history lesson

Definition

noun
history classhistory lesson
Measure word · 节

Examples

  • 历史课。
    Wǒ měi zhōu shàng liǎng jié lì shǐ kè.
    I have two history classes per week.
  • 历史课。
    Jīn tiān de lì shǐ kè jiǎng de shì èr zhàn.
    Today's history lesson is about World War II.
  • 历史课，。
    Tā zuì xǐ huan lì shǐ kè, tè bié shì zhōng guó gǔ dài de bù fen.
    He likes history class the most, especially the part about ancient China.

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.

历史history
历lìpast史shǐrecords
偏正Modifier + head
课kèclass

历史 names history and 课 is a class or lesson.

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 歷; 历 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 历 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (简历, 经历) it is 歷; in others (日历) it is 曆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
厤
厤lì歷lì
Same sound today

The form 歷 pairs 止 with the sound part 厤.

Open 历 →

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

The old drawing showed someone holding a flag-like or writing tool, indicating the act of recording events; the exact inner shape is unclear.

Open 史 →

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 課; 课 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánto say
Sound part声符shēngfú
果
果guǒ課kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 課 pairs 言 (to say) with 果 as a sound part; the simplified 课 is a shorthand and its right side is not a sound part.

Open 课 →
Appears in
School SubjectsSchool & Education

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