讲座

• Pinyin: jiǎng zuò
• Hanzi breakdown: 讲 = 讠(speech) + 井 (well/phonetic) — to explain or speak; 座 = 广 (shelter) + 坐 (sit) — a place where people sit and gather

Meaning

Lecture; seminar. A formal talk or presentation given to an audience on a particular subject.

Refers to organized talks by experts, professors, or professionals on specific topics. Common in academic, cultural, and professional settings. Collocations include 举办讲座 (hold a lecture), 参加讲座 (attend a lecture), 公开讲座 (public lecture), and 学术讲座 (academic seminar). More formal than 课 (class/lesson) and implies a one-time or special event.

Examples

1. 今天下午有一场关于人工智能的讲座。 There is a lecture on artificial intelligence this afternoon.
2. 这位教授的讲座非常精彩，大家都听得很认真。 This professor's lecture was excellent — everyone listened very attentively.
3. 学校经常邀请专家来做讲座。 The school often invites experts to give lectures.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, professional, educational

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 你去听那个讲座了吗？(Did you go to that lecture?)
• 下周有一个关于健康的讲座。(There's a lecture about health next week.)

Don't Say

• 老师今天的讲座很有意思 (Don't use 讲座 for a regular class — use 课; 讲座 is for special talks or seminars, not daily lessons)

Origin & History

A compound of 讲 (to speak/explain) and 座 (seat/gathering place), together meaning a gathering where someone speaks — a lecture or seminar.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal