理工 (lǐ gōng) — science and engineering (as a field of study)

Definition

noun

science and engineering (as a field of study)

理工。
Wǒ dì di zài dà xué xué lǐ gōng.
My younger brother studies science and engineering at university.
理工。
lǐ gōng Zhuān yè de bì yè shēng zhǎo gōng zuò hěn róng yì.
Graduates from science and engineering majors find jobs easily.
理工，。
Tā xuǎn zé le lǐ gōng, yīn wèi duì kē jì gǎn xìng qù.
She chose science and engineering because she is interested in technology.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

理lǐscience

工gōngengineering

理 and 工 stand side by side for science and engineering.

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

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

里

Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 工 is a picture of a bladed tool used to plow ground or mark a border; some read it as a carpenter's square.