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| 学问 [2025/08/09 03:17] – created xiaoer | 学问 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== xuéwèn: 学问 - Learning, Knowledge, Scholarship ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** xuewen, xuéwèn, 学问, Chinese word for knowledge, Chinese word for scholarship, meaning of xuewen, deep learning in Chinese, 学问 vs 知识, Chinese culture knowledge, study in Chinese | |
| * **Summary:** Discover the profound meaning of **学问 (xuéwèn)**, a Chinese term that goes far beyond simple "knowledge." This page explores how **学问** represents deep, cultivated learning and wisdom acquired through diligent study and inquiry. Learn its cultural significance in China, how it differs from **知识 (zhīshi)**, and how to use it correctly to praise someone's profound scholarship and character. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xuéwèn | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** A deep and profound body of knowledge or learning, often synonymous with scholarship or erudition. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **学问 (xuéwèn)** not just as a library of facts in your head, but as the wisdom that comes from building that library, understanding how the books connect, and knowing how to find new information. It implies a process of active inquiry, deep thinking, and personal cultivation. It's the difference between knowing a historical date and understanding the forces that shaped that historical event. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **学 (xué):** This character originally depicted a child (子) under a roof, with hands learning or interacting with symbols (爻). It fundamentally means "to learn" or "to study." | |
| * **问 (wèn):** This character shows a mouth (口) inside a door (门). It represents the act of opening one's mouth to "ask" a question or "inquire." | |
| The combination **学问 (xuéwèn)** beautifully illustrates a core tenet of Chinese intellectual tradition: true learning (**学**) is inseparable from active inquiry (**问**). It's not enough to passively receive information; one must question, explore, and investigate to achieve genuine, profound understanding. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In Chinese culture, **学问 (xuéwèn)** is a highly revered concept deeply rooted in Confucian values. For centuries, the ideal figure in society was the "scholar-official" (士大夫, shìdàfū), a person whose right to govern was based on their moral integrity and profound **学问**. This has instilled a deep-seated respect for education, teachers, and scholarly pursuits that persists to this day. | |
| A useful comparison for a Western learner is to contrast **学问 (xuéwèn)** with the English word "knowledge." | |
| * **Knowledge** can be very specific and factual. You can have knowledge of a software program, a recipe, or a phone number. | |
| * **学问 (xuéwèn)**, however, implies breadth, depth, and integration. It's closer to the English concepts of "erudition," "scholarship," or "learning" in the classical sense. You wouldn't say someone has **学问** just because they are good at trivia. **学问** suggests that the person's knowledge has shaped their character and given them a kind of wisdom. It reflects the cultural value that learning is not just for a practical purpose, but for self-cultivation (修养, xiūyǎng). | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **学问 (xuéwèn)** is a formal and respectful term. It's used to describe serious, systematic knowledge, especially in academic or humanistic fields. | |
| * **Praising Experts:** It is most often used to praise a teacher, professor, expert, or a wise elder. Calling someone "有学问" (yǒu xuéwèn - to have learning/be learned) is a high compliment. | |
| * **Describing Fields of Study:** It can refer to a specific academic discipline as a body of knowledge. For example, "历史是一门很深的学问" (History is a very deep field of study). | |
| * **Expressing Humility:** In a culture that values modesty, people often use **学问** in self-deprecation. For instance, "我的学问还很浅" (My learning is still very shallow) is a common way to express humility when discussing a topic. | |
| * **Formality:** It is rarely used in very casual, colloquial conversation about everyday things. You wouldn't use it to talk about knowing how to fix a bike or play a video game. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| **Example 1:** | |
| * 这位教授真有**学问**，什么都懂。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè wèi jiàoshòu zhēn yǒu **xuéwèn**, shénme dōu dǒng. | |
| * English: This professor is truly learned; he understands everything. | |
| * Analysis: This is a classic example of using **有学问 (yǒu xuéwèn)** as a high compliment for someone's deep and broad knowledge. | |
| **Example 2:** | |
| * 做**学问**要严谨，不能马虎。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zuò **xuéwèn** yào yánjǐn, bùnéng mǎhu. | |
| * English: Scholarship (lit., doing learning) requires rigor; you can't be careless. | |
| * Analysis: Here, **做学问 (zuò xuéwèn)** refers to the act or process of engaging in academic research or serious study. | |
| **Example 3:** | |
| * 跟您相比，我的**学问**太浅了。 | |
| * Pinyin: Gēn nín xiāngbǐ, wǒ de **xuéwèn** tài qiǎn le. | |
| * English: Compared to you, my learning is too shallow. | |
| * Analysis: A polite and humble phrase used when speaking to a senior or an expert, showing respect for their greater knowledge. | |
| **Example 4:** | |
| * 教育的真正目的不仅仅是传授知识，更是引导学生如何做**学问**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Jiàoyù de zhēnzhèng mùdì bùjǐnjǐn shì chuánshòu zhīshì, gèngshì yǐndǎo xuéshēng rúhé zuò **xuéwèn**. | |
| * English: The true purpose of education is not just to impart knowledge, but to guide students on how to learn/engage in scholarship. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence perfectly highlights the distinction between knowledge (知识) and the deeper process of learning (学问). | |
| **Example 5:** | |
| * 他这个人虽然读书不多，但生活经验也是一种**学问**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā zhè ge rén suīrán dúshū bù duō, dàn shēnghuó jīngyàn yěshì yī zhǒng **xuéwèn**. | |
| * English: Although he hasn't read many books, life experience is also a kind of learning/wisdom. | |
| * Analysis: This shows a broader, more philosophical use of **学问**, suggesting that deep understanding can come from sources other than formal education. | |
| **Example 6:** | |
| * 这是一门很深的**学问**，需要花很多时间去研究。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè shì yī mén hěn shēn de **xuéwèn**, xūyào huā hěn duō shíjiān qù yánjiū. | |
| * English: This is a very profound field of study; it requires a lot of time to research. | |
| * Analysis: Here, **学问** is used to refer to an entire academic discipline or a complex subject. | |
| **Example 7:** | |
| * 古人云：“活到老，学到老”，做**学问**是没有止境的。 | |
| * Pinyin: Gǔrén yún: “Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo”, zuò **xuéwèn** shì méiyǒu zhǐjìng de. | |
| * English: The ancients said: "Live until you're old, learn until you're old." There is no end to the pursuit of learning. | |
| * Analysis: This connects **学问** to the cultural ideal of lifelong learning. | |
| **Example 8:** | |
| * 他很有**学问**，但从不炫耀。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā hěn yǒu **xuéwèn**, dàn cóng bù xuànyào. | |
| * English: He is very learned, but he never shows off. | |
| * Analysis: This highlights the ideal that true **学问** is accompanied by humility, a key Confucian value. | |
| **Example 9:** | |
| * 想要在任何领域成为专家，都必须潜心做**学问**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Xiǎng yào zài rènhé lǐngyù chéngwéi zhuānjiā, dōu bìxū qiánxīn zuò **xuéwèn**. | |
| * English: If you want to become an expert in any field, you must devote yourself to deep study. | |
| * Analysis: **潜心做学问 (qiánxīn zuò xuéwèn)** is a common set phrase meaning "to immerse oneself in study/research." | |
| **Example 10:** | |
| * 烹饪的**学问**可大着呢，不只是把菜做熟那么简单。 | |
| * Pinyin: Pēngrèn de **xuéwèn** kě dà zhe ne, bù zhǐshì bǎ cài zuò shú nàme jiǎndān. | |
| * English: There's a great deal of art and science (lit., learning) in cooking; it's not as simple as just cooking the food. | |
| * Analysis: A more lighthearted but still valid use, implying that even a practical skill like cooking has a deep body of knowledge and technique that qualifies as a **学问**. | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| The most common mistake for English speakers is to confuse **学问 (xuéwèn)** with **知识 (zhīshi)**. They both translate to "knowledge," but they are not interchangeable. | |
| * **学问 (xuéwèn):** Deep, systematic, profound learning; scholarship; erudition. It implies a process and a cultivated depth of understanding. | |
| * Correct: 他是一位有**学问**的学者。 (Tā shì yī wèi yǒu **xuéwèn** de xuézhě.) - He is a learned scholar. | |
| * **知识 (zhīshi):** Factual knowledge; information; what you know. It's more about the content itself. | |
| * Correct: 我需要一些关于这个软件的**知识**。 (Wǒ xūyào yīxiē guānyú zhège ruǎnjiàn de **zhīshi**.) - I need some knowledge about this software. | |
| **Example of Incorrect Usage:** | |
| * Incorrect: 他的电话号码是很有用的**学问**。 (Tā de diànhuà hàomǎ shì hěn yǒuyòng de **xuéwèn**.) | |
| * **Why it's wrong:** A phone number is a piece of data, a simple fact. It is **知识 (zhīshi)** or **信息 (xìnxī - information)**, but it lacks the depth and systematic nature of **学问**. | |
| * Correct: 他的电话号码是很有用的**信息**。 (Tā de diànhuà hàomǎ shì hěn yǒuyòng de **xìnxī**.) | |
| Think of it this way: memorizing every country's capital is having **知识**. Understanding the geopolitical, historical, and economic reasons why those cities became capitals is having **学问**. | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[知识]] (zhīshi) - The most direct contrast; refers to facts, information, and "knowledge" in its more common English sense. | |
| * [[学者]] (xuézhě) - A "scholar"; a person who possesses a great deal of **学问**. | |
| * [[研究]] (yánjiū) - "Research" or "to study"; the active process and methodology used to build **学问**. | |
| * [[文化]] (wénhuà) - "Culture"; a person described as "有文化" (yǒu wénhuà) is educated and refined, a quality often associated with having **学问**. | |
| * [[教育]] (jiàoyù) - "Education"; the formal system and process through which **学问** and **知识** are transmitted. | |
| * [[修养]] (xiūyǎng) - "Self-cultivation," "accomplishment," "poise." This is the personal and moral development that is believed to be a result of deep **学问**. | |
| * [[博学]] (bóxué) - An adjective meaning "erudite," "learned." Someone who is **博学** has a vast and profound **学问**. | |
| * [[请教]] (qǐngjiào) - "To ask for advice (from an expert)"; a polite verb used when you wish to learn from someone who has more **学问** than you. | |