考古学 (kǎo gǔ xué) — archaeology | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

archaeology

考古学。
Tā duì kǎo gǔ xué hěn gǎn xìng qù.
He is very interested in archaeology.
考古学。
Zhè ge kǎo gǔ xué yí zhǐ shì zhōng guó zuì zhòng yào de zhī yī.
This archaeological site is one of the most important in China.
考古学。
Wǒ dú guò hěn duō guān yú kǎo gǔ xué de shū.
I have read many books about archaeology.

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.

考古examine ancient things

考kǎoexamine古gǔancient

动宾Verb + object

“考” examines “古” ancient things, and “学” is the field of study.

Characters in this word

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

耂丂考

In 考, the upper 耂 is an old man with long hair, bent over, and the lower 丂 is a walking cane.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

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.

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