TongTong
Sign in

哲学家 (zhé xué jiā) — philosopher

Definition

noun
philosopher
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 哲学家。
    Zhè wèi zhé xué jiā tí chū le hěn duō zhòng yào de lǐ lùn.
    This philosopher has put forward many important theories.
  • 哲学家。
    Wǒ zuì jìn zài dú yí wèi zhé xué jiā xiě de shū.
    I'm currently reading a book written by a philosopher.
  • 哲学家。
    Hěn duō zhé xué jiā dōu rèn wéi shì jiè shì wù zhì de.
    Many philosophers believe the world is material.

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.

哲学
哲zhéwisdom学xuélearning
偏正Modifier + head
家jiāperson

哲学 supplies the field of philosophy, and 家 points to a person associated with it.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
折
折zhé哲zhé
Same sound today

The form 哲 pairs 口 (mouth) with 折, which gives the sound.

Open 哲 →

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 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →
Appears in
Professions & Jobs

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