教室 (jiào shì) — classroom | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A classroom is one specific room where lessons happen. 课堂 is a more abstract, written word for the lesson/class setting itself.

noun

classroom

Measure word · 间

Examples

教室教室。
Zhè shì yí jiào shì jiào shì.
This is a classroom.
教室。
jiào shì Lǐ yǒu zhuō zi hé yǐ zi.
There are desks and chairs in the classroom.
。
Tā měi tiān zài jiào shì lǐ xué xí.
He studies in the classroom every day.

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.

教 (teach) and 室 (room) combine to mean a room for teaching.

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

子子zǐchild

攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority

Sound part声符shēngfú

爻

爻yáo教jiào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

宀至室

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀miánroof

Sound part声符shēngfú

至

至zhì室shì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

室 puts 宀 (roof) over 至, the spot where someone stops, giving the meaning of a house or residence.

Appears in

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