读书

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 读书 (dúshū) is composed of two characters: 读 (dú), meaning "to read," and 书 (shū), meaning "book." The word 读书 can be translated as "to read books" or "to study."The character 读 is derived from the oracle bone script, which is the earliest known form of Chinese writing. In the oracle bone script, the character 读 is depicted as a person holding a book in their hands. The character 书 is also derived from the oracle bone script, and it is depicted as a person holding a brush and writing on a bamboo slip.The word 读书 has been used in Chinese for thousands of years. It is mentioned in many classical Chinese texts, such as the Analects of Confucius and the Book of Rites. In these texts, 读书 is often used to refer to the importance of education and learning.Today, the word 读书 is still used in Chinese to refer to reading books and studying. It is also used in a more general sense to refer to the pursuit of knowledge and learning.