科学界 (kē xué jiè) — scientific circles; the scientific community

Definition

noun
scientific circlesthe scientific community

Examples

  • 科学界。
    Zhè wèi jiào shòu zài kē xué jiè xiǎng yǒu hěn gāo de shēng yù.
    This professor enjoys a high reputation in scientific circles.
  • 科学界。
    kē xué jiè Zhèng zài jiù qì hòu biàn huà wèn tí jìn xíng guǎng fàn tǎo lùn.
    The scientific community is having extensive discussions on climate change.
  • 科学界。
    Tā de yán jiū chéng guǒ dé dào le kē xué jiè de rèn kě.
    His research results have been recognized by the scientific community.

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.

科学science
科kēbranch/subject学xuéstudy/learning
偏正Modifier + head
界jiècircle/field

“科学” means science and “界” means circle, so it denotes the scientific community.

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
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 →

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
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè界jiè
Same sound today

界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.

Open 界 →
Appears in
Groups & OrganizationsScience (General)

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