语文课 (yǔ wén kè) — Chinese language and literature class (a school subject)

Definition

noun
Chinese language and literature class (a school subject)
Measure word · 节

Examples

  • 语文课。
    Wǒ men měi zhōu yǒu liǎng jié yǔ wén kè.
    We have two Chinese classes every week.
  • 语文课，。
    Zài yǔ wén kè shàng, lǎo shī jiào wǒ men xiě zuò wén.
    In Chinese class, the teacher teaches us to write essays.
  • 语文课，。
    Wǒ zuì xǐ huan yǔ wén kè, yīn wèi tā hěn yǒu qù.
    I like Chinese class the most because it's very interesting.

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.

语文language and literature
语yǔlanguage文wénliterature
联合Side by side
课kèclass

“语” and “文” together mean language and literature, and “课” is a class, giving a language and literature class.

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →

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

The current form 文 shows a man with head, arms, legs, and chest; the tattoo marks on the chest are no longer drawn.

Open 文 →

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 課; 课 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánto say
Sound part声符shēngfú
果
果guǒ課kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 課 pairs 言 (to say) with 果 as a sound part; the simplified 课 is a shorthand and its right side is not a sound part.

Open 课 →

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