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神学院 (shén xué yuàn) — theological seminary; divinity school

Definition

noun
theological seminarydivinity school
Measure word · 所

Examples

  • 神学院，。
    Tā zài zhè suǒ shén xué yuàn xué xí le sì nián, huò dé le shén xué shuò shì xué wèi.
    He studied at this theological seminary for four years and earned a master's degree in divinity.
  • 神学院。
    Zhè suǒ shén xué yuàn péi yǎng le xǔ duō yōu xiù de mù shī hé shén xué yán jiū zhě.
    This seminary has trained many outstanding pastors and theological researchers.
  • 神学院。
    shén xué yuàn De tú shū guǎn shōu cáng le dà liàng zōng jiào jīng diǎn hé lì shǐ wén xiàn.
    The seminary's library houses a large collection of religious scriptures and historical documents.

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.

神学theology
神shéndivine学xuéstudy
偏正Modifier + head
院yuàninstitution

神学 means divine study, and 院 names the institution, giving a theological seminary.

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
完
完wán院yuàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

院 is built from 阝, written in full as 阜, and 完, which gives the sound.

Open 院 →
Appears in
Religion & BeliefSchool & Education

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