数学课 (shù xué kè) — math class (mathematics lesson)

Definition

noun
math class (mathematics lesson)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 数学课
    Jīn tiān xià wǔ yǒu shù xué kè.
    There is math class this afternoon.
  • 数学课
    shù xué kè De lǎo shī xìng wáng.
    The math class teacher's surname is Wang.
  • 数学课
    Wǒ shù xué kè de chéng jì bú tài hǎo.
    My grades in math class are not very good.

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.

数学mathematics
shùnumberxuéstudy
偏正Modifier + head
class

数学 gives mathematics and 课 gives class, so 数学课 means a mathematics class.

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
lóushù(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 課; 课 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
yánto say
Sound part声符shēngfú
guǒ
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 →

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