微生物学 (wēi shēng wù xué) — microbiology

Definition

noun
microbiology

Examples

  • 微生物学。
    Wǒ duì wēi shēng wù xué hěn gǎn xìng qù.
    I am very interested in microbiology.
  • 微生物学。
    Tā zài dà xué xué xí wēi shēng wù xué.
    He studies microbiology at university.
  • 微生物学。
    wēi shēng wù xué Shì yán jiū wēi shēng wù de kē xué.
    Microbiology is the science that studies microorganisms.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old form showed 𡵂 (a variant of 美, a person with long hair) and 攵 (a hand with a tool) splitting or combing hairs, hence minute; 微 later added 彳 to emphasize action.

Open 微 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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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