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经验 (jīng yàn) — experience (knowledge or skill gained through doing things)

Definition

经验 (jīngyàn) is the knowledge or skill you have BUILT UP from doing things over time. Unlike 经历 (the events themselves) or 体会 (your personal insight from one event), 经验 is cumulative 'know-how'.

noun
experience (knowledge or skill gained through doing things)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 经验。
    Tā yǒu hěn duō gōng zuò jīng yàn.
    He has a lot of work experience.
  • 经验。
    Xué xí jīng yàn hěn zhòng yào.
    Learning experience is very important.
  • 经验。
    Zhè cì huó dòng ràng wǒ dé dào le bǎo guì de jīng yàn.
    This activity gave me valuable experience.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

经jīngpass through
验yàntest

经 means going through and 验 means testing, so together they name knowledge gained by living through and checking.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →
Appears in
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