Language/Yue-chinese/Vocabulary/Education-Vocabulary
Education is an important aspect of Chinese culture. In this lesson, we will learn the relevant vocabulary related to education in China and how to express ourselves.
School Levels
Chinese education is divided into different levels:
- 幼儿园 (yòu'éryuán) - kindergarten
- 小学 (xiǎoxué) - primary school
- 中学 (zhōngxué) - secondary school
- 大学 (dàxué) - university
Primary and Secondary School
In China, primary school usually lasts for six years, followed by three years of junior secondary school and three years of senior secondary school.
Here are some commonly used vocabulary related to primary and secondary school:
| Yue Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 学校 | hok6 haau6 | school |
| 先生 | sin1 sang1 | teacher (male) |
| 女士 | neoi5 si6 | teacher (female) |
| 学生 | hok6 saang1 | student |
| 课程 | fo1 cing4 | curriculum |
| 数学 | sou3 hak6 | mathematics |
| 历史 | lik6 si6 | history |
| 地理 | dei6 lei5 | geography |
| 政治 | zing3 zi6 | politics |
| 物理 | mat6 lei5 | physics |
| 化学 | faa3 hok6 | chemistry |
| 生物 | saang1 mat6 | biology |
| 音乐 | jam1 ngok6 | music |
| 体育 | tai2 juk6 | physical education |
- To ask about a student's school: 学生在哪所学校就读？(hok6saang1 zoi6 naa5 so2 hok6 haau6 jau6 duk6?) Where does the student attend school?
- To ask about a specific subject: 你最喜欢的科目是什么？(nei5 zeoi3 hei1fun1 dik1 fo1 muk6 si6 sam1 mo1?) What is your favorite subject?
University
大学 (dàxué) is the term used for university in China. University education is highly valued, and entrance exams are highly competitive. Here are some vocabulary words associated with university:
| Yue Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 大学 | daai^6 hok^6 | university |
| 学位 | hok6 wai6 | degree |
| 学士 | hok6 si6 | bachelor's degree |
| 硕士 | sek3 si6 | master's degree |
| 博士 | bok3 si6 | doctorate degree |
| 学校活动 | hok6 haau6 wut6 dung6 | school activities |
- To ask someone about their field of study: 你学的是什么专业？ (nei5 hok6dik1 si6 sam1 mo1 zyun1 jip6?) What is your major?
- To ask someone about their university: 你是在哪个大学学习的？(nei5 si6 zoi6 naa5 go3 daai6 hak6 hok6 seot6 dik1?) Which university did you study at?
Conclusion
In this lesson, we learned about the relevant vocabulary to education in China, including school levels, subjects, and degrees. By familiarizing yourself with these words, you will be able to express yourself in Yue Chinese more fluently and understand others more easily.
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