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科学 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
科学kēxuéscienceHSK 4, n, 17 strokes, rank #1862, Medium
科学kēxuéscientific knowledgeHSK 4, n, 17 strokes, rank #1862, Medium
科学kēxuéscientificHSK 4, n, 17 strokes, rank #1862, Medium
科学kēxuérationalHSK 4, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #1862, Medium
kēxué(ke1xue2)ke xue T1
  1. 1science
  2. 2scientific knowledge
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March 24, 2026

科学(科學)kēxué(ke1xue2)

科学 (kēxué) refers to the systematic study of the natural world through observation and experimentation. It encompasses various fields such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and is often used in both academic and everyday contexts to discuss scientific knowledge and rational thought.

Strokes17Frequency#1862DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

In China, the emphasis on '科学' is evident in the educational system, where STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects are highly prioritized to foster innovation and technological advancement.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'K' (for kē) shaped like a 'key' unlocking the 'door' (门, mén) of knowledge. The 'xue' (学, xue) part looks like a person studying books, emphasizing the pursuit of learning in science.

Meanings of 科学

kēxué(ke1xue2)
1science
2scientific knowledge
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 科学

科学Simplified
科學Traditional
17Strokes
—Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#1862Frequency Rank
门Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 科学

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Podcast: 科学

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AI study notes for 科学

Quick Contrast

科学 (kēxué) vs 学术 (xuéshù) — use 科学 for natural and empirical studies, while 学术 refers more broadly to academic scholarship.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tones; '科学' uses the first tone and the second tone. Common collocations include '科学研究' (scientific research) and '科学家' (scientist). The term is generally formal, suitable for academic discussions.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 4 word, '科学' connects well with other terms like '学习' (study) and '知识' (knowledge). Focus on understanding its usage in different contexts, especially in academic settings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce '科学' by mixing up the tones, such as saying 'kēxue' with a flat tone on 'xue'. Remember to keep 'xue' in the second tone for correct pronunciation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 科学

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Component characters

科kēbranch of study
HSK 69 strokes禾
View full entry
学xuéto learn
HSK 18 strokes子
View full entry

How to say science in Chinese

“science” in Chinese is科学kēxué

科学 (kēxué) refers to the systematic study of the natural world through observation and experimentation. It encompasses various fields such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and is often used in both academic and everyday contexts to discuss scientific knowledge and rational thought.

When to use 科学

Be cautious with the tones; '科学' uses the first tone and the second tone. Common collocations include '科学研究' (scientific research) and '科学家' (scientist). The term is generally formal, suitable for academic discussions.

科学 or something close to it

科学 (kēxué) vs 学术 (xuéshù) — use 科学 for natural and empirical studies, while 学术 refers more broadly to academic scholarship.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce '科学' by mixing up the tones, such as saying 'kēxue' with a flat tone on 'xue'. Remember to keep 'xue' in the second tone for correct pronunciation.

Write 科学

科
学

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

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Grammar patterns of 科学

科学 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 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons3
Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我们首先要找到____的练习方法，然后坚持每天练习。

We first need to find a scientific practice method, then persist in practicing every day.

Example sentences for 科学 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
人们担心的是科学会成为工业的仆人。

rénmen dānxīn de shì kēxué huì chéngwéi gōngyè de pū rén。

The fear is that science could become the handmaiden of industry.
2
科学家们越来越拿不准这一技术是否是正当合法的。

kēxué jiā men yuèláiyuè ná bùzhǔn zhè yī jìshù shìfǒu shì zhèngdàng héfǎ de。

Scientists are becoming increasingly unsure of the validity of this technique.
3
这是一种有趣的科学现象，但没什么实用价值。

zhè shì yī zhǒng yǒuqù de kēxué xiànxiàng， dàn méishénme shíyòng jiàzhí。

It's an interesting scientific phenomenon, but of no practical use whatever.
4
普利茅斯海洋研究所的科学家一半有学士学位，另一半则有博士学位。

pǔ lì máo Sī hǎiyáng yánjiūsuǒ de kēxué jiā yíbàn yǒu xuéshì xuéwèi， lìng yíbàn zé yǒu bóshì xuéwèi。

Half of PML's scientists have first degrees, the other half have PhDs.
5
她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴.

tā wèi zìjǐ de kēxué shíyàn qǔdé hǎo chéngguǒ ér gāoxìng.

She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.
6
我钦佩他是个真正的科学家和勤奋工作的人。

wǒ qīnpèi tā shì gè zhēnzhèng de kēxué jiā hé qínfèn gōngzuò de rén。

I admired him as a true scientist and hard worker.
7
那时候，牙科学刚起步，拔牙都不打麻药。

nàshíhou， yákē xué gāng qǐbù， bá yá dōu bù dǎ má yào。

In those days, dentistry was basic. Extractions were carried out without anaesthetic.
8
我写此信是为了回应你那篇探讨科学家薪水的文章。

wǒ xiě cǐ xìn shì wèile huíyìng nǐ nà piān tàntǎo kēxué jiā xīnshui de wénzhāng。

I am writing with reference to your article on salaries for scientists.
9
科学家们知道癌症可能会潜伏多年。

kēxué jiā men zhīdào áizhèng kěnéng huì qiánfú duōnián。

Scientists know that cancer may not show up for many years.
10
我们想增加一些通晓科学的人手来运作电视台。

wǒmen xiǎng zēngjiā yìxiē tōng xiǎo kēxué de rénshǒu lái yùnzuò diànshìtái。

We want to have more scientifically literate people running our television stations.

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Frequently asked questions about 科学

The correct tones are kē (first tone) and xué (second tone).

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