哲学 (zhéxué) · philosophy

哲学 (zhéxué) means “philosophy”. It is written with 2 characters: 哲 (wise) + 学 (to study). It is an old HSK 5 word (HSK 2.0).

How 哲学 is built

The characters

哲 zhé · wise

What 哲 is made of

折zhé — to break
- 扌shǒu — hand
  - 二 — two strokes
  - 亅 — hook
- 斤jīn — a catty (about 500 grams)
  - 厂chǎng — cliff
  - 下xià — below
口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke

学 xué · to study

What 学 is made of

⺍ — three-stroke
冖mì — cover
子zǐ — child
- 了liǎo / le — finish
  - 乛 — bent stroke
  - 亅 — hook
- 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: A building 冖 where children 子 study; ⺍ provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

他在大学学习哲学。Tā zài dàxué xuéxí zhéxué.He studies philosophy at university.

这本书讲的是生活哲学。Zhè běn shū jiǎng de shì shēnghuó zhéxué.This book is about the philosophy of life.

Questions about 哲学

What does 哲学 mean?

哲学 (zhéxué) means “philosophy”.

How do you pronounce 哲学?

哲学 is pronounced zhéxué.

Which HSK level is 哲学?

哲学 is in Old HSK 5.

Related words

Learn 哲学 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 5 · Group 120: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

Open the group