philipbeckwith Posted August 26, 2016 at 03:37 PM Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 03:37 PM I learned that semester is 学期 in Chinese, but I have never learned the convention for naming 'quarters' as are typically used in America. Dictionaries have not been much help to me. Is there a Chinese convention for labeling 'quarters'? Are academic years even divided into quarters in China? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted August 26, 2016 at 04:11 PM Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 04:11 PM 學期 can be used for any academic "term". It just so happens that uni in China has two academic terms, so it is understood to mean "semester" while there. Here, we have three terms, winter, spring, and summer, and all of them are still called 學期. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipbeckwith Posted August 26, 2016 at 04:27 PM Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 04:27 PM So it sounds like you use trimesters where you live. I don 't think you would have the same problem I have. Most schools where I am at use both semesters and quarters. Just using 学期 for both would be confusing. For example, is it possible to say in a simple way "first semester second quarter" in Chinese? Obviously 上学期第二学期 would be confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted August 26, 2016 at 05:33 PM Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 05:33 PM Most schools where I am at use both semesters and quarters That might be the case, but specifying semesters is redundant. For example, if I say 1st quarter, 2nd quarter, 3rd quarter and 4th quarter, you will know exactly which semesters those quarters are in. In cases where you absolutely had to mention semester as distinct from quarter, I would guess that a Chinese person would just talk about 上半年 and 下半年. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gharial Posted August 26, 2016 at 05:38 PM Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 05:38 PM My Longman (LDOCE4) E-C gives the academic as opposed to financial meaning of quarter as 学季, with the example 这个学季你修什么课? What classes are you taking this quarter? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonic_Duck Posted August 26, 2016 at 05:42 PM Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 05:42 PM 季度 looks to be the word for quarters of a year. 一年分两个学期,每个学期分两个季度. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gharial Posted August 26, 2016 at 06:13 PM Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 06:13 PM Maybe what you've supplied there will clinch it, Demonic Duck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipbeckwith Posted August 26, 2016 at 09:21 PM Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 09:21 PM From what I am seeing, 学季 appears to work. Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyf Posted August 26, 2016 at 10:05 PM Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 at 10:05 PM For example, is it possible to say in a simple way "first semester second quarter" in Chinese? Obviously 上学期第二学期 would be confusing. Perhaps: 第一学期的后一半 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelina Posted August 27, 2016 at 05:36 AM Report Share Posted August 27, 2016 at 05:36 AM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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