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琴棋书画 (qín-qí-shū-huà) — the four arts of the Chinese scholar (guqin, Go, calligraphy, and painting); accomplishments of a well-educated person

Definition

A set phrase for the four traditional arts a Chinese scholar was expected to master: 琴 (guqin), 棋 (Go), 书 (calligraphy), 画 (painting). 书法 names the calligraphy art on its own; this phrase bundles all four as cultural ideals of a well-educated person.

phrase
the four arts of the Chinese scholar (guqin, Go, calligraphy, and painting)accomplishments of a well-educated person

Examples

  • 琴棋书画。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù kāi shǐ xué xí qín-qí-shū-huà.
    He started learning the four arts from childhood.
  • 琴棋书画。
    qín-qí-shū-huà Dài biǎo le zhōng guó gǔ dài wén rén de cái yì.
    The four arts represent the talents of ancient Chinese scholars.
  • ，琴棋书画。
    Yào xiǎng chéng wéi yí wèi wén rén, bì xū jīng tōng qín-qí-shū-huà.
    To become a scholar, one must master the four arts.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

琴qínzither
棋qíGo
书shūcalligraphy
画huàpainting

琴, 棋, 书, and 画 name the zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting, together evoking scholarly accomplishments.

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
珡珡qín
Sound part声符shēngfú
今
今jīn琴qín
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

琴 pairs 珡, the part tied to its sense as a stringed instrument, with 今, which gives the sound.

Open 琴 →

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
木木mùwooden
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí棋qí
Same sound today

棋 has 木 on the left, showing it was made of wood, and 其 on the right gives the sound.

Open 棋 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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 畫; 画 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùbrush
Sound part声符shēngfú
規
規guī畫huà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 畫 pairs 聿, a brush, with 規 for its sound. The simplified 画 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the old parts.

Open 画 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Art & Fine ArtsChinese Culture & CustomsIdioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.