xué sheng
student
我是学生。
wǒ shì xué sheng.
I am a student.
他是一个学生。
tā shì yī gè xué sheng.
He is a student.
她是学生吗？
tā shì xué sheng ma?
Is she a student?
学子 (xué zǐ)
student
莘莘学子 (shēn shēn xué zǐ)
diligent students
读书人 (dú shū rén)
scholar
老师 (lǎoshī)
teacher
教授 (jiàoshòu)
professor
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The Chinese word 学生 (xuésheng) for "student" is composed of two characters: 学 (xué), meaning "to learn," and 生 (shēng), meaning "person." Together, they literally mean "a person who learns."The character 学 (xué) has a long history, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). It was originally a pictograph of a person holding a book, representing the act of learning. Over time, the character simplified and took on its current form.The character 生 (shēng) is also an ancient character, dating back to the Shang dynasty. It was originally a pictograph of a newborn baby, representing the beginning of life. Over time, the character simplified and took on its current form.The combination of 学 (xué) and 生 (shēng) to form the word 学生 (xuésheng) is a natural one, as it captures the essence of what it means to be a student: a person who is dedicated to learning and growing.
