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Lexicon: "Study" in Mandarin Chinese
Understanding a culture's language can reveal a great deal about its perceptions and attitudes. Consider, for example, the Chinese Mandarin word for "study." The word is Xue and pronounced "Schwoo-eh." The Chinese character for Xue is quite interesting. At the top, you have the image of "resources." On the bottom, you have the character for "child." Separating the child from the resources is a "roof." This means that the word for "study" is depicted as a child sitting under the roof with many resources overhead. These resources include everything from teachers to books to places, all outside the home. By placing the resources above the child, the word illustrates how a student must aspire to reach those educational opportunities. The child must reach high for these academic resources, and he/she may very well need to leave home to study. Xue is an excellent illustration of how valuable the Chinese culture considers education, and its willingness to travel far from home to reach those academic resources.
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