社会科学 (shè huì kē xué) — social science(s); (in China) social sciences and humanities collectively

Definition

Standard term for 'social science(s)'; in Chinese academic usage it often also covers the humanities, as in 社会科学学院.

noun
social science(s)(in China) social sciences and humanities collectively

Examples

  • 社会科学。
    shè huì kē xué Shì yì mén zhòng yào de xué kē.
    Social science is an important discipline.
  • ，社会科学。
    Zài zhōng guó, shè huì kē xué tōng cháng bāo kuò rén wén kē xué.
    In China, social science usually includes the humanities.
  • 社会科学。
    Hěn duō dà xué dōu yǒu shè huì kē xué xué yuàn.
    Many universities have a college of social sciences.

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.

社会society
社shècommunity会huìassociation
联合Side by side
科学science
科kēdiscipline学xuéstudy
偏正Modifier + head

社会 (society) and 科学 (science) combine to mean the science of society.

Characters in this word

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

社 joins 示 (god; deity) and 土 (soil), so its shape is about the god of the land.

Open 社 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

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
斗斗dòumeasuring tool
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé科kē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

科 pairs 禾, which gives the hé sound, with 斗, a measuring tool.

Open 科 →

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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