系

• Pinyin: xì
• Hanzi breakdown: 系 = 丿 (stroke) + 糸 (silk), originally meaning to tie or connect; now also means department or system

Meaning

Department; faculty. An academic division within a university, typically organised by subject area.

In academic contexts, 系 refers to a department within a college or university, such as 中文系 (Chinese department) or 数学系 (mathematics department). It is a subdivision of a 学院 (school/college). Also used in other senses meaning 'system' or 'to tie', but the department meaning is most common in educational contexts.

Examples

1. 她在大学的英语系学习。 She studies in the English department at university.
2. 我们系今年招了五十个新生。 Our department enrolled fifty new students this year.
3. 他是数学系的教授。 He is a professor in the mathematics department.

Usage Guide

Context: education, university

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你是哪个系的学生？(Which department are you a student in?)
• 我们系的老师都很好。(The teachers in our department are all very good.)

Don't Say

• 我在公司的英语系工作。(Don't use 系 for a company department — use 部门 instead. 系 is only for academic departments.)

Origin & History

系 originally meant 'to tie' or 'to connect', derived from the image of tying silk threads. The academic 'department' meaning developed from the idea of a connected group within an institution.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal