艺术

• Pinyin: yì shù
• Hanzi breakdown: 艺 = 艹 (grass) + 乙 (phonetic), originally related to planting; 术 = 木 (tree) + 丶 (dot), originally a type of plant

Meaning

Art; the arts. Refers broadly to creative and aesthetic endeavours including visual arts, music, dance, and literature.

Covers all forms of artistic expression, from painting and sculpture to music, theatre, and literature. Also used figuratively to describe something done with great skill or finesse, as in 说话的艺术 (the art of speaking). 艺术家 means 'artist'. Commonly appears in compound words related to culture and education.

Examples

1. 她从小就对艺术很感兴趣。 She has been interested in art since she was young.
2. 这个城市有很多艺术博物馆。 This city has many art museums.
3. 学习艺术可以让人更有创造力。 Studying art can make people more creative.

Usage Guide

Context: culture, education, everyday

Tone: appreciative

Do Say

• 他是一位很有名的艺术家。(He is a very famous artist.)
• 做饭也是一种艺术。(Cooking is also a form of art.)

Don't Say

• 他的数学很艺术。(Don't use 艺术 to describe academic subjects as 'artistic' — it sounds odd. Use 厉害 or 好 to praise maths skills.)

Origin & History

艺 (skill/craft, originally 'to plant') + 术 (technique/method). The combination conveys 'skilled craft' or 'creative technique'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal