{"id":6392,"date":"2025-04-28T23:28:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T06:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/?p=6392"},"modified":"2025-05-10T14:40:39","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T21:40:39","slug":"zixue%e2%80%90chengcai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/2025\/04\/28\/zixue%e2%80%90chengcai\/","title":{"rendered":"z\u00ecxu\u00e9\u2010ch\u00e9ngc\u00e1i"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\t\t\tz\u00ecxu\u00e9\u2010ch\u00e9ngc\u00e1i<\/span>\n\t\t\t((z\u00ec\u00b7xu\u00e9\n\t\t\tself \u00b7 learned; studied<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b66\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b78<\/span>)\u2010(ch\u00e9ng\u00b7c\u00e1i\n\t\t\tbecame \u00b7 {capable person}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210\u624d)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [[be] self-taught]<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t \ud83d\udc48\ud83c\udffc Tap\/click to show\/hide the \u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>\n<\/h3>\n\n

[Notes:<\/strong> Tap\/click on a P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> expression to reveal its <\/span>\u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>; tap\/click on a <\/span>\u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span> or its P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> expression to hide the<\/span> \u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>. \ud83d\udcd6<\/span> \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> \ud83d\udcd8 icons mean \ud83d\udcd6<\/span> Reveal All<\/strong>, \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> Reveal Advanced<\/strong>, and \ud83d\udcd8 Reveal None<\/strong> re all the \u201cflashcards\u201d<\/span> in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]<\/p>\n

Recently, jw.org<\/a> featured the video \u201cBenjamin Boothroyd\u2014A Self-Taught Bible Scholar<\/a>\u201d. Where the English title of this video uses the expression \u201cself-taught\u201d, the title of the Mandarin<\/a> version uses this week\u2019s MEotW, \u201cz\u00ecxu\u00e9\u2010ch\u00e9ngc\u00e1i<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t((z\u00ec\u00b7xu\u00e9\n\t\t\tself \u00b7 learned; studied<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b66\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b78<\/span>)\u2010(ch\u00e9ng\u00b7c\u00e1i\n\t\t\tbecame \u00b7 {capable person}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210\u624d)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [[be] self-taught]<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d:<\/i><\/p>\n

English:<\/p>\n

\nBenjamin Boothroyd\u2014A Self-Taught<\/strong> Bible Scholar\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mandarin:<\/p>\n

\n\n\t\t\t\ud83d\udcd6<\/span> \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> \ud83d\udcd8<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tB\u011bnji\u00e9m\u00edng<\/span>\n\t\t\t(Benjamin<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u672c\u6770\u660e\n\t\t\t\u672c\u5091\u660e<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tB\u00f9s\u012blu\u00f3y\u012bd\u00e9<\/span>\n\t\t\t(Boothroyd<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5e03\u601d\u7f57\u4f0a\u5fb7\n\t\t\t\u5e03\u601d\u7f85\u4f0a\u5fb7<\/span>)<\/span>:\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tZ\u00ecxu\u00e9\u2010Ch\u00e9ngc\u00e1i<\/span>\n\t\t\t((Z\u00ec\u00b7xu\u00e9\n\t\t\tSelf \u00b7 Learned<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b66\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b78<\/span>)\u2010(Ch\u00e9ng\u00b7c\u00e1i\n\t\t\tBecame \u00b7 {Capable Person}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210\u624d)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [Self-Taught]<\/span>)<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/strong>\n\n\t\t\tde<\/span> \n\t\t\t(\u2019s<\/span> \n\t\t\t\u7684)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tSh\u00e8ngj\u012bng<\/span> \n\t\t\t(Sh\u00e8ng\u00b7j\u012bng \n\t\t\tHoly \u00b7 Scriptures \u2192<\/span> [Bible]<\/span> \n\t\t\t\u5723\u7ecf \n\t\t\t\u8056\u7d93<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tXu\u00e9zh\u011b<\/span>\n\t\t\t(Xu\u00e9\u00b7zh\u011b\n\t\t\tStudying \u00b7 Person \u2192<\/span> [Scholar]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5b66\u8005\n\t\t\t\u5b78\u8005<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Morphemes<\/h4>\n

The first morpheme<\/a> in this week\u2019s MEotW, \u201cz\u00ec<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(self | from; since<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u81ea)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> here means \u201cself\u201d, as it does in \u201cz\u00ecj\u01d0<\/i><\/span> \n\t\t\t(self[\u2019s]<\/span> \n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5df1)<\/span>\u201d.<\/i> The next morpheme, \u201cxu\u00e9<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(learn\/learning | study [\u2192 [imitate]]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5b66\n\t\t\t\u5b78<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> here means \u201clearned; studied\u201d. Another expression in which it appears is \u201cxu\u00e9sheng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(xu\u00e9\u00b7sheng\n\t\t\tlearning \u00b7 {growing (one) \u2192 [student]} \u2192<\/span> [student; pupil]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5b66\u751f\n\t\t\t\u5b78\u751f<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> which means \u201cstudent\u201d. These first two morphemes, when put together to form \u201cz\u00ecxu\u00e9<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(z\u00ec\u00b7xu\u00e9\n\t\t\tself \u00b7 learn; study<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b66\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b78<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> refer to learning or studying by oneself.<\/p>\n

The third morpheme in this week\u2019s MEotW, \u201cch\u00e9ng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(become; {come to be}; {to turn into}; {to complete}; accomplish; succeed; {fully developed\/grown}; {assume [the shape of]}; {to fill} | {to completion}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> here means \u201cbecame\u201d. It also appears in many other expressions, including \u201cch\u00e9ngw\u00e9i<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(ch\u00e9ng\u00b7w\u00e9i\n\t\t\tbecome \u00b7 {to be}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210\u4e3a\n\t\t\t\u6210\u70ba<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> and \u201cch\u00e9ngg\u014dng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(ch\u00e9ng\u00b7g\u014dng\n\t\t\t{becoming [of]}; {accomplishing [of]} \u00b7 {meritorious service\/deed}; achievement \u2192<\/span> [succeed | success | successful[ly]]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210\u529f)<\/span>\u201d.<\/i> The final morpheme \u201cc\u00e1i<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t({only then} | {only (before a number)} | actually; really; very | talent; ability; gift | {capable person} | {person of a certain type}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u624d\n\t\t\t\u624d\/\u7e94<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> in this context means \u201ccapable person\u201d. So, \u201cch\u00e9ngc\u00e1i<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(ch\u00e9ng\u00b7c\u00e1i\n\t\t\tbecome \u00b7 {capable person}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210\u624d)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> here means \u201cbecame capable person\u201d, and the entire expression \u201cz\u00ecxu\u00e9\u2010ch\u00e9ngc\u00e1i<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t((z\u00ec\u00b7xu\u00e9\n\t\t\tself \u00b7 learned; studied<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b66\n\t\t\t\u81ea\u5b78<\/span>)\u2010(ch\u00e9ng\u00b7c\u00e1i\n\t\t\tbecame \u00b7 {capable person}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6210\u624d)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [[be] self-taught]<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> literally means \u201cself-learned\/studied, became capable person\u201d, and effectively means \u201cself-taught\u201d.<\/p>\n

Being Self-Taught in the Mandarin Field<\/h4>\n

Apart from the introductory organization-sponsored language classes that many of us took, we Mandarin field language learners are pretty much all self-taught with regard to Mandarin, especially when it comes to the somewhat specialized Mandarin that we must use in the Mandarin field. But does being largely self-taught mean that none of us can really be any good at Mandarin? Are we doomed to plateau at a mediocre level at best?<\/p>\n

One thing I appreciated from the video mentioned above is that Benjamin Boothroyd, who was self-taught but became a world-class Bible scholar and translator, was motivated only to pursue the truth. As he wrote (as mentioned in the English video starting at the 6:38 mark):<\/p>\n

\nI have no interest to serve but that of truth.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Regarding those with such a focus on the truth, at John 18:37<\/a>, Jesus said:<\/p>\n

\nFor this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of the truth listens to my voice.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Those who are \u201con the side of the truth\u201d and who listen to Jesus\u2019 voice open themselves up to receiving the most important education we can get. This best possible education comes from Jehovah God himself, not any worldly or human source. As Isaiah 54:13<\/a> says:<\/p>\n

\nAnd all your sons will be taught by Jehovah,
\nAnd the peace of your sons will be abundant.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Even when it comes to nontrivial technical matters, Jehovah can help certain ones develop the technical knowledge, skills, and expertise that are needed to accomplish his will. For example, as Exodus 35:30\u201335<\/a> tells us, he did so when some specialized technical work needed to be done when Moses and the Israelites were in the wilderness:<\/p>\n

\n30<\/strong> Then Moses said to the Israelites: \u201cSee, Jehovah has chosen Bez\u02b9al\u00b7el the son of U\u02b9ri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. 31<\/strong> He has filled him with the spirit of God, giving him wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of every sort of craftsmanship 32<\/strong> for making artistic designs, for working with gold, silver, and copper, 33<\/strong> for cutting and setting stones, and for making all kinds of artistic wood products. 34<\/strong> And he has put it into his heart to teach, he and O\u00b7ho\u02b9li\u00b7ab the son of A\u00b7his\u02b9a\u00b7mach of the tribe of Dan. 35<\/strong> He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a craftsman, an embroiderer, and a weaver using blue thread, purple wool, scarlet material, and fine linen, and of a loom worker. These men will do every sort of work and prepare every sort of design.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, if we focus on the truth and stay open to Jehovah\u2019s direction, we can make \u201cself-taught\u201d also mean \u201ctaught by Jehovah\u201d! And since Jehovah created<\/em> this universe that human scientists, technicians, artists, musicians, etc. are just trying to figure out and work in, he can, if he wants to, even potentially teach us to become more<\/em> knowledgeable and skilled in certain fields than many worldly humans are, as he may have done with Bez\u02b9al\u00b7el and O\u00b7ho\u02b9li\u00b7ab.\u2014Psalm 119:98\u2013100<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Modern Resources for Mandarin Self-Learning<\/h4>\n

In support of our efforts to be successfully self-taught in effectively using Mandarin to praise and serve Jehovah, we today are blessed with many available resources, the likes of which Bez\u02b9al\u00b7el, O\u00b7ho\u02b9li\u00b7ab, and Mr. Boothroyd would undoubtedly have loved to have had access to. For example, one of the basic things that teaching and learning require is the transfer of information to those seeking to learn, and in that regard, we humans today generally have access to, at reasonable cost, computing\u2014i.e., information-processing\u2014devices that can easily be carried by hand, but that are, in some ways, millions of times more capable<\/a> than the Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) that guided the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the moon.<\/p>\n

In addition to these mobile devices themselves, we should also consider the apps and the text, audio, video, etc. content that they enable us to use to help us learn Mandarin. These include the JW Language app, as well as the JW Library app that now allows for content that displays P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span>.<\/i> Here are a couple of short links listing some of the resources available for Mandarin field language learners:<\/p>\n