zhī shi
knowledge
我正在学习中文。
wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí zhōngwén.
I am learning Chinese.
我喜欢阅读。
wǒ xǐhuān yuèdú.
I like reading.
我正在做作业。
wǒ zhèngzài zuò zuòyè.
I am doing my homework.
学问 (xuéwèn)
learning
常识 (chángshí)
common sense
见闻 (jiànwén)
knowledge and experience
无知 (wú zhī)
ignorance
愚昧 (yú mèi)
foolishness
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The Chinese word 知识 (zhīshi) for "knowledge" is composed of two characters: 知 (zhī) and 识 (shí). The character 知 originally meant "to know" or "to understand", and it is composed of the radical 宀 (miàn), which represents a roof, and the phonetic component 矢 (shǐ), which represents an arrow. The combination of these two components suggests the idea of "knowing" or "understanding" something that is hidden or difficult to see, like an arrow hidden under a roof. The character 识 originally meant "to recognize" or "to distinguish", and it is composed of the radical 目 (mù), which represents an eye, and the phonetic component 识 (shí), which is the same as the phonetic component of 知. The combination of these two components suggests the idea of "recognizing" or "distinguishing" something by seeing it. When these two characters are combined to form the word 知识, the meaning becomes "knowledge", which is the combination of knowing and recognizing something.
