种族主义 (zhǒng zú zhǔ yì) — racism

Definition

noun
racism

Examples

  • 种族主义。
    Wǒ men bì xū fǎn duì yí qiè xíng shì de zhǒng zú zhǔ yì.
    We must oppose all forms of racism.
  • 种族主义。
    zhǒng zú zhǔ yì Zài zhè ge guó jiā réng rán shì yí gè yán zhòng de wèn tí.
    Racism is still a serious problem in this country.
  • 种族主义。
    Jiào yù kě yǐ bāng zhù rén men xiāo chú zhǒng zú zhǔ yì.
    Education can help people eliminate racism.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

种族
种zhǒngrace族zúethnic group
联合Side by side
主义
主zhǔprinciple义yìdoctrine
联合Side by side

种族 'race' and 主义 'doctrine' give the sense of racism.

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
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
中
中zhōng种zhǒng
Same sound today

种 pairs 禾, which shows rice or grain and fits meanings like plant and seed, with 中, which gives its sound.

Open 种 →

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

族 combines 㫃, a flag, and 矢, an arrow.

Open 族 →

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →
Appears in
Ethnic Groups & NationalitiesSociety & Public Life

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