讲座 (jiǎng zuò) — lecture; talk | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

讲座 is a public lecture or talk, usually on an academic or professional topic. Compared with 报告, it focuses on teaching/explaining content rather than presenting findings or policy.

noun

lecturetalk

Measure word · 个

Examples

讲座。
Wǒ cān jiā le yí gè guān yú lì shǐ de jiǎng zuò.
I attended a lecture about history.
讲座。
Zhè wèi jiào shòu míng tiān huì bàn yí gè jiǎng zuò.
This professor will give a lecture tomorrow.
讲座。
Wǒ duì zhè ge jiǎng zuò de nèi róng hěn gǎn xìng qù.
I am very interested in the content of this lecture.

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.

讲jiǎnglecture

讲 means lecture and 座 means seat; together they suggest a lecturing seat, hence a course of lectures.

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 講; 讲 is its simplified writing.

言冓講

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

冓

冓gòu講jiǎng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 講 puts 言, say, beside 冓, which gave it its sound; the simplified 讲 is a later abbreviation.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

广坐座

Meaning part形符xíngfú

广广guǎnghouse on cliff

Sound part声符shēngfú

坐

坐zuò座zuò

Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 School & Education

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