声学 (shēng xué) — acoustics (the science of sound) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

The science of sound, covering how it is produced, transmitted, and received. As a field name it usually pairs with 研究 (声学研究), distinct from 语音学, which studies speech sounds in language.

noun

acoustics (the science of sound)

Easily confused

升学shēng xuésound-aliketo move up to the next level of schooling, to enter a higher school

Examples

声学。
Tā zài dà xué zhǔ xiū shēng xué.
He majored in acoustics at university.
声学。
shēng xué Yán jiū duì yīn yuè tīng de shè jì fēi cháng zhòng yào.
Acoustics research is very important for concert hall design.
声学。
Zhè wèi jiào shòu shì shēng xué lǐng yù de zhuān jiā.
This professor is an expert in the field of acoustics.

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.

声 gives the topic of sound, and 学 names the systematic study.

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

殸耳聲

Meaning part形符xíngfú

耳耳ěrear

Sound part声符shēngfú

殸

殸qìng聲shēng

Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

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.

爻爻yáo
六六liù

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.

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