知识分子

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知识分子 [2025/08/12 21:01] – created xiaoer知识分子 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== zhīshifènzǐ: 知识分子 - Intellectual, Intelligentsia ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** zhishifenzi, 知识分子, Chinese intellectual, what is zhishifenzi, meaning of 知识分子, intelligentsia in China, Chinese scholar, Chinese culture, educated class in China. +
-  * **Summary:** Learn the meaning of **知识分子 (zhīshifènzǐ)**, the Chinese word for "intellectual" or "intelligentsia." This guide explores its deep cultural roots, tracing it from the ancient scholar-officials to its complex role in modern China. Understand why a `知识分子` is more than just a smart person, but a member of a specific social class with a historical sense of social responsibility. +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zhīshifènzǐ +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Noun +
-  * **HSK Level:** HSK 6 +
-  * **Concise Definition:** A person with a high level of formal education, typically a university degree, who is engaged in complex mental work; an intellectual. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** **知识分子 (zhīshifènzǐ)** refers to the educated class of society—professors, writers, senior engineers, researchers, etc. It's not just about being intelligent; it's a social identity tied to higher education and a specific role. Historically, this group was expected to have a social conscience and contribute to the nation's well-being, a legacy that continues to influence the term's meaning today. +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **知 (zhī):** to know; knowledge. +
-  * **识 (shí):** to recognize; knowledge. +
-    * Together, **知识 (zhīshi)** is the common word for "knowledge." +
-  * **分 (fèn):** a component, an element, a member of a group. +
-  * **子 (zǐ):** a common suffix for a person, often denoting a role or status (e.g., `孩子` háizi - child). +
-The characters literally combine to mean "knowledge-element-person," or "a member of the knowledge class." This construction perfectly captures the idea that a **知识分子** is defined by their belonging to an educated stratum of society. +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-The concept of the **知识分子 (zhīshifènzǐ)** is deeply rooted in thousands of years of Chinese history. It is the modern successor to the traditional **`士大夫` (shìdàfū)**, the scholar-officials who were the administrative and intellectual backbone of imperial China. +
-These scholar-officials were educated in Confucian classics and had a profound sense of moral duty to advise the emperor, serve the state, and care for the common people. This is famously summarized in the saying: “先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐” (xiān tiānxià zhī yōu ér yōu, hòu tiānxià zhī lè ér lè), meaning "to be the first to worry about the world's troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures." +
-**Comparison to Western "Intellectual":** +
-While "intellectual" is a good translation, there's a key difference. In the West, an "intellectual" can be a self-taught artist, a public critic, or a philosopher, often defined by their critical stance outside of established institutions. In China, a **知识分子** is more formally defined by: +
-1.  **A University Education:** A college degree is almost a prerequisite. +
-2.  **A Social Class:** It denotes membership in the intelligentsia, a recognized social group. +
-3.  **A Link to the State:** Historically, their role was to serve or critique the state, a dynamic that continues today. A factory worker who reads philosophy extensively would be called `有文化 (yǒu wénhuà)` (cultured/educated), but likely not a `知识分子`. +
-This gives the term a weight and a specific social boundary that the English "intellectual" often lacks. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-In modern China, **知识分子** is a formal term used in news, academic writing, and serious discussions about society. +
-  * **Connotation:** The connotation is generally neutral to positive, conferring respect for a person's educational achievements and profession (e.g., professor, researcher, writer). However, it can sometimes carry a faint, negative undertone of being idealistic, impractical, or out of touch with the "real world"—the classic "ivory tower" stereotype. +
-  * **Political History:** The term is also politically charged due to modern history. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), intellectuals were heavily persecuted as the "Stinking Old Ninth" (`臭老九 chòu lǎo jiǔ`), a derogatory term placing them at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Today, while respected, the relationship between intellectuals and the state remains a complex and sensitive topic. +
-  * **Public Intellectuals:** A modern offshoot is `公知 (gōngzhī)`, short for `公共知识分子 (gōnggòng zhīshifènzǐ)` or "public intellectual." Initially a positive term for intellectuals engaging in public debate, it has increasingly become a pejorative online slang term for those perceived as being unpatriotic, pro-Western, or contrarian for its own sake. +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 我爸爸是一位大学教授，一个典型的**知识分子**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Wǒ bàba shì yī wèi dàxué jiàoshòu, yī ge diǎnxíng de **zhīshifènzǐ**. +
-    * English: My dad is a university professor, a typical intellectual. +
-    * Analysis: This is a very common and neutral use of the term, linking it directly to a profession associated with higher education. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 作为**知识分子**，他们有责任推动社会进步。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zuòwéi **zhīshifènzǐ**, tāmen yǒu zérèn tuīdòng shèhuì jìnbù. +
-    * English: As intellectuals, they have a responsibility to promote social progress. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence reflects the traditional cultural expectation that intellectuals should have a social conscience. +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 鲁迅是中国近代史上最重要的**知识分子**之一。 +
-    * Pinyin: Lǔ Xùn shì Zhōngguó jìndài shǐshàng zuì zhòngyào de **zhīshifènzǐ** zhīyī. +
-    * English: Lu Xun is one of the most important intellectuals in modern Chinese history. +
-    * Analysis: The term is often used to describe influential historical figures known for their writing and social commentary. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 政府出台了新政策来吸引海外高级**知识分子**回国工作。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ chūtái le xīn zhèngcè lái xīyǐn hǎiwài gāojí **zhīshifènzǐ** huíguó gōngzuò. +
-    * English: The government introduced new policies to attract high-level intellectuals from overseas to return to work in China. +
-    * Analysis: This demonstrates the formal, official use of the term in the context of policy and human resources. `高级` (gāojí - high-level) is often added. +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 他虽然读书很多，但不要像个手无缚鸡之力的老**知识分子**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā suīrán dúshū hěn duō, dàn bùyào xiàng ge shǒuwúfùjīzhīlì de lǎo **zhīshifènzǐ**. +
-    * English: Although he reads a lot, he shouldn't be like an old intellectual who doesn't even have the strength to tie up a chicken. +
-    * Analysis: This example shows the negative stereotype of an intellectual being physically weak and impractical. `手无缚鸡之力` is a common idiom for this. +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 在那个年代，**知识分子**的社会地位很低。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zài nàge niándài, **zhīshifènzǐ** de shèhuì dìwèi hěn dī. +
-    * English: In that era, the social status of intellectuals was very low. +
-    * Analysis: This alludes to historical periods like the Cultural Revolution when intellectuals were politically targeted. +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 商业大亨和**知识分子**对社会发展的看法常常不同。 +
-    * Pinyin: Shāngyè dàhēng hé **zhīshifènzǐ** duì shèhuì fāzhǎn de kànfǎ chángcháng bùtóng. +
-    * English: Business tycoons and intellectuals often have different views on social development. +
-    * Analysis: This sets up a common contrast between the world of commerce (seen as pragmatic) and the world of academia (seen as idealistic). +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 很多年轻人努力学习，希望将来能成为一名受人尊敬的**知识分子**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīng rén nǔlì xuéxí, xīwàng jiānglái néng chéngwéi yī míng shòu rén zūnjìng de **zhīshifènzǐ**. +
-    * English: Many young people study hard, hoping to become a respected intellectual in the future. +
-    * Analysis: This highlights the aspirational and positive side of the term. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 这篇文章探讨了当代中国**知识分子**群体面临的挑战。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhè piān wénzhāng tàntǎo le dāngdài Zhōngguó **zhīshifènzǐ** qúntǐ miànlín de tiǎozhàn. +
-    * English: This article explores the challenges faced by the contemporary Chinese intellectual community. +
-    * Analysis: `群体` (qúntǐ - group, community) is often used with `知识分子` to refer to them as a collective social class (the intelligentsia). +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * 你别太理想化了，听起来像个老派**知识分子**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ bié tài lǐxiǎnghuà le, tīngqǐlái xiàng ge lǎopài **zhīshifènzǐ**. +
-    * English: Don't be so idealistic, you sound like an old-fashioned intellectual. +
-    * Analysis: Here, the term is used with a slightly critical tone, associating it with being out of date or naive. +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  * **False Friend: "Smart Person" vs. `知识分子`** +
-    A common mistake for learners is to use `知识分子` to describe anyone who is intelligent or well-read. This is incorrect. The term is tied to a formal educational background (usually university-level) and a profession that relies on that knowledge. A brilliant high-school dropout who runs a successful business is not a `知识分子`. +
-  * **Incorrect Usage:** +
-    * `他考试得了第一名，真是一个知识分子！` +
-    * `(Tā kǎoshì dé le dì-yī míng, zhēnshi yī ge zhīshifènzǐ!)` +
-    * **Why it's wrong:** Getting a good grade makes someone a good student (`好学生 hǎo xuéshēng`), not an intellectual. `知识分子` refers to a life role and social status, not a temporary achievement. A better way to praise them would be: `他真聪明！(Tā zhēn cōngming!)` or `他学习真好！(Tā xuéxí zhēn hǎo!)`. +
-  * **Specificity Matters:** +
-    While a professor is a `知识分子`, you would usually just call them a `教授 (jiàoshòu)`. `知识分子` is a broader, more abstract classification used when discussing social roles, history, or classes of people, rather than as a direct job title in everyday conversation. +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[学者]] (xuézhě) - Scholar, academic. A more specific term for someone engaged in academic research. All `学者` are `知识分子`, but not all `知识分子` (like a senior engineer or a novelist) are `学者`. +
-  * [[文人]] (wénrén) - Literati, man of letters. A traditional term with an artistic and classical flavor, often referring to poets, calligraphers, and essayists of the past. +
-  * [[专家]] (zhuānjiā) - Expert, specialist. This term focuses on deep knowledge in one particular field. A `专家` might not have the broad social awareness implied by `知识分子`. +
-  * [[士大夫]] (shìdàfū) - The scholar-officials of imperial China. The historical precursor to the modern `知识分子`. +
-  * [[公知]] (gōngzhī) - Public intellectual. Short for `公共知识分子`. A modern, often controversial and derogatory term for intellectuals active in public debate online. +
-  * [[书呆子]] (shūdāizi) - Bookworm, nerd. The negative stereotype of an intellectual who is socially awkward and lacks practical skills. +
-  * [[有文化]] (yǒu wénhuà) - To be educated, cultured. A very common, general, and positive way to describe someone who is well-read and knowledgeable, without the formal class implications of `知识分子`.+