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学
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学

xué · hok6

to learn; to study

Where it comes from

The earliest forms behind 學 show two hands around crossed marks. Those marks are often interpreted as counting sticks or knowledge being arranged, although their exact ancient meaning is debated. Later forms added a building-like cover and 子, “child”, creating the familiar traditional 學. Simplified 学 comes from an established cursive abbreviation. This sketch follows the early hands-and-crossed-marks structure, then hints at the later learning space below.

A piece of culture

Learning beside 文
学 / 學 is one of the most useful building blocks in learning vocabulary. 学生 / 學生 is a student, 学校 / 學校 is a school, and 文学 / 文學 is literature. That last word joins 学 to 文, BeginChinese’s first character: learning meets writing and culture in just two signs.

Use it in a real word

学生
xuésheng ·
student; learner — you already know 生, “life; to be born”
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