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学 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
学xuéto learnHSK 1, n, 8 strokes, radical 子, rank #544, Easy, science, education, learning, stative, noun
学xuéto studyHSK 1, n, 8 strokes, radical 子, rank #544, Easy, science, education, noun
学xuéscienceHSK 1, n, 8 strokes, radical 子, rank #544, Easy, education, learning, noun
学xué-ologyHSK 1, n, 8 strokes, radical 子, rank #544, Easy, science, education, noun
学xuélearning, knowledge, science; to study, to go to school; -ologyHSK 1, n, 8 strokes, radical 子, rank #544, Easy, science, education, noun
学xuéto imitateHSK 1, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 子, rank #544, Easy
xué(xue2) T2
  1. 1to learn
  2. 2to study
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
学(學)xué(xue2)

The character 学 (xué) primarily means 'to learn' or 'to study.' It can also refer to fields of science or knowledge, commonly used in academic contexts. This character is fundamental in conversations about education and personal development.

Strokes8Radical子Frequency#544DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, education is highly valued, and the character 学 reflects this importance. The emphasis on learning and scholarly achievement is deeply rooted in Confucian values.

Memory Tip

Picture a student with a large book (the character 学 resembles a person with a book) sitting at a desk, deeply absorbed in studying. The sound 'xué' can remind you of 'study,' creating a vivid image of learning and knowledge.

Meanings of 学

xué(xue2)
1to learn
2to study
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 学

学Simplified
學Traditional
8Strokes
子Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#544Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 学

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Podcast: 学

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AI Study Notes for 学

Quick Contrast

学习 (xuéxí) vs 学习 (xué) — use 学习 when referring to the act of studying in a more comprehensive sense, while 学 can refer more broadly to learning or fields of study.

Memory Mnemonic

Picture a student with a large book (the character 学 resembles a person with a book) sitting at a desk, deeply absorbed in studying. The sound 'xué' can remind you of 'study,' creating a vivid image of learning and knowledge.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 学 with 习 (xí), which means 'to practice' or 'to rehearse.' 学 is more formal and often used in educational contexts, while 习 is informal. Common collocations include 学习 (xuéxí - to study) and 学校 (xuéxiào - school).

HSK Study Tips

Although 学 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it is essential for HSK 1 and 2 learners as it frequently appears in vocabulary related to education. Focus on its usage in phrases and the distinction between 学 and related terms.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, education is highly valued, and the character 学 reflects this importance. The emphasis on learning and scholarly achievement is deeply rooted in Confucian values.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 学 with 学习 (xuéxí), mistakenly using 学 on its own when they mean 'to study.' For instance, saying '我学' instead of '我学习.' Always use 学习 when referring to the act of studying.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 学

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Etymology of 学

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 學. Originally composed of the numbers five (㐅) and six (六), representing study of arithmetic. Later two hands (又) were added on the left and right side of the character, possibly depicting counting with fingers or hands-on tea

Memory Hint

A building 冖 where children 子 study; ⺍ provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 学?

Decomposition of 学

IDS Structure⿱⿱⺍冖子
学Full Character
=
⺍xiao3
top
冖mi4
bottom
子zi3
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 学?

Write 学

学

Practice writing 学 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 学

学 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
学+N structure学 + [Noun]
HSK 1

Used to indicate the action of studying a specific subject.

学数学

xué shùxué

to study mathematics

学中文

xué zhōngwén

to study Chinese

学+V structure学 + [Verb]
HSK 1

Used to indicate learning how to perform a specific action.

学游泳

xué yóuyǒng

to learn to swim

学做饭

xué zuòfàn

to learn to cook

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

车站东边是一个____校。

East of the station is a school.

Usage Notes for 学

Confusing 学 and 习Common Error

Some learners confuse 学 (xué) with 习 (xí). 学 is used for 'to learn' broadly, while 习 means 'to practice' or 'to review'.

1

我在学中文。

I am learning Chinese.

2

我在习汉字。

I am practicing characters.

Using 学 in sentencesGrammar Tip

When using 学 to indicate a subject of study, remember to pair it with the appropriate noun.

1

他在学英语。

He is studying English.

2

我想学历史。

I want to study history.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我在____中文。

I am learning Chinese.

Example Sentences for 学 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我得慢慢学会独自生活。

wǒ dé màn màn xué huì dú zì shēng huó。

I would have to learn, little by little, to exist alone.
2
以前我曾经做过大学校报的主编。

yǐ qián wǒ zēng jīng zuò guò dà xué xiào bào de zhǔ biān。

I used to edit the college paper in the old days.
3
她知道有关我的学业、医院工作等所有的一切。

tā zhī dào yǒu guān wǒ de xué yè、 、 yī yuàn gōng zuò děng suǒ yǒu de yī。

She knew all about my schoolwork, my hospital work etc.
4
我接触到一些非常聪明的哈佛和耶鲁的学生。

wǒ jiē chù dào yī xiē fēi cháng cōng míng de hā fó hé yé lǔ de xué shēng。

I came into contact with very bright Harvard and Yale students.
5
在校时我的数学跟不上。

zài xiào shí wǒ de shù xué gēn bù shàng。

I got left behind at school with the maths.
6
他对于法国、德国和荷兰的文学了如指掌。

tā duì yú fǎ guó、 、 dé guó hé hé lán de wén xué le rú zhǐ。

He was well acquainted with the literature of France, Germany and Holland.
7
学生常常赶数百英里的路来到这里。

xué shēng cháng cháng gǎn shù bǎi yīng lǐ de lù lái dào zhè lǐ。

Students often travel hundreds of miles to get here.
8
英国的亚裔年轻人通常被吸引到医学、法律及工程专业。

yīng guó de yà yì nián qīng rén tōng cháng bèi xī yǐn dào yī xué、 、 fǎ lǜ jí gōng chéng zhuān。

Traditionally young Asians in Britain have gravitated towards medicine, law and engineering.
9
许多学生并未做好接受高等教育的充分准备。

xǔ duō xué shēng bìng wèi zuò hǎo jiē shòu gāo děng jiào yù de chōng fēn zhǔn bèi。

Many students are not adequately prepared for higher education.
10
为什么像大学这样人才济济的社区要害怕虚无主义呢？

wéi shí mó xiàng dà xué zhè yàng rén cái jì jì de shè qū yào hài pà xū wú zhǔ yì ne？

Why should a great community like a university be afraid of nihilism?

Cultural Notes for 学

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, education is highly valued. The character '学' is often associated with the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, reflecting the importance of learning in society.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, education is highly valued, and the character 学 reflects this importance. The emphasis on learning and scholarly achievement is deeply rooted in Confucian values.

📜Proverb

活到老，学到老 (huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo) - 'Live till old, learn till old' meaning learning is a lifelong process.

📜Proverb

学无止境 (xué wú zhǐ jìng) - 'Learning has no limits' emphasizing the importance of continuous learning.

📜Proverb

学无止境 (xué wú zhǐ jìng) - Learning has no limits.

📜Proverb

学而时习之，不亦说乎 (Xué ér shí xí zhī, bù yì yuè hū) - Learning and practicing what you have learned brings joy.

📜Proverb

活到老，学到老 (Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo) - One should continue to learn throughout their life.

📜Proverb

学而时习之，不亦说乎 (Xué ér shí xí zhī, bù yì yuè hū) - Learning and practicing what you have learned brings joy.

📜Proverb

活到老，学到老 (Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo) - One should continue to learn throughout their life.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In English, the term 'study' mainly refers to the act of learning, while in Chinese, '学' encompasses both the action of learning and the broader concept of knowledge and education. The emphasis in Chinese culture on continuous learning is reflected in sayings like '学无止境'.

Word Family of 学

Compounds1
敩
Words Containing This Character20
学校xuéxiàoschool學校
学xuéto learn學
学生xuéshēngstudent學生
大学dàxuéuniversity大學
学习xuéxíto learn學習
科学kēxuéscience科學
同学tóngxuéclassmate同學
学会xuéhuìto learn學會
教学jiàoxuéto teach教學
学院xuéyuàncollege學院
上学shàngxuéto go to school上學
数学shùxuémathematics數學
医学yīxuémedicine醫學
科学家scientist科學家
化学huàxuéchemistry化學
小学xiǎoxuéelementary school小學
大学生dàxuéshēnguniversity student大學生
文学wénxuéliterature文學
中学zhōngxuémiddle school中學
学者xuézhěscholar學者
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 学校 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 学

Some common phrases using 学 (xué) include 学习 (xuéxí), which means 'to study' or 'to learn', and 学校 (xuéxiào), meaning 'school'. These phrases are essential for anyone looking to discuss education in Chinese.