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识字 (shí zì) — to learn to read; to become literate

Definition

Literally 'recognize characters', 识字 means to learn to read Chinese characters or to be literate — a more literary/formal term than the everyday phrase 认字 (rèn zì).

verb
to learn to readto become literate

Examples

  • 识字。
    Tā xiǎo shí hou jiù kāi shǐ shí zì le.
    He started learning to read as a child.
  • 。
    Tā shí le hěn duō zì.
    He has learned many characters.
  • ？
    Nǐ shí bù shí zì?
    Are you literate?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

识shírecognize
字zìcharacter

识 (recognize) and 字 (character) together describe learning to read.

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 識; 识 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí識zhì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 識 pairs 言 (say) with 戠 as a sound part; the simplified 识 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 识 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
子
子zǐ字zì
Same sound today

字 pairs 宀 (roof) with 子 (child); 子 gives the sound, while 宀 relates to the meaning.

Open 字 →
Appears in
Reading & Writing

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