格物致知
gé wù zhì zhī
to gain knowledge by investigating things
Character by character
格gé
investigate
investigate
物wù
things
things
致zhì
reach
reach
知zhī
knowledge
knowledge
Example
做科学研究讲究格物致知，先要把现象一点一点观察清楚。
Scientific research is about knowledge through investigation: first you have to observe the phenomenon carefully, bit by bit.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From the classic 大学 (致知在格物); 朱熹 made it the heart of his method. In the late Qing 格致 was the usual word for Western natural science, and the 格致书院 founded in Shanghai in the 1870s taught it.
Learn this in Lesson 98 · HSK 6–7: 王阳明与知行合一 (Wang Yangming: knowing is doing)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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