学位

• Pinyin: xué wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 学 = 子 (child) under roof, learning; 位 = 亻 (person) + 立 (stand), position/rank

Meaning

Academic degree. A qualification awarded by a university upon completion of a course of study.

Includes 学士学位 (bachelor's degree), 硕士学位 (master's degree), and 博士学位 (doctoral degree). An important credential in Chinese society for career advancement. Common collocations include 学位证书 (degree certificate) and 学位论文 (degree thesis).

Examples

1. 他拥有哈佛大学的经济学博士学位。 He holds a doctoral degree in economics from Harvard University.
2. 完成所有课程后，学生将获得学位证书。 After completing all courses, students will receive a degree certificate.
3. 现在很多工作都要求硕士学位。 Many jobs now require a master's degree.

Usage Guide

Context: education, career, academics

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 你的学位是什么？(What is your degree?)
• 我正在攻读硕士学位。(I am pursuing a master's degree.)

Don't Say

• 我有高中学位 (High school completion is 毕业证 (graduation certificate), not 学位 which is for university degrees)

Origin & History

Compound of 学 (study, academic) and 位 (position, rank), meaning an academic rank.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal