Definition
玄学 originally refers to a Neo-Daoist philosophical school in 3rd–4th century China (the 'Dark Learning' or 'Mysterious Learning') that reinterpreted Daoist classics like the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi. In modern colloquial usage, the word often carries a derogatory tone, dismissing fortune-telling, feng shui, or other superstitious beliefs as unscientific 'mysticism'. It can also refer to metaphysics in a general academic sense, but the derogatory overtone is common in everyday speech.
n.
(historical) the Neo-Daoist philosophical school of the 3rd–4th centuries(modern, often derogatory) mysticismsuperstitionpseudoscientific belief(philosophy) metaphysics (general term)
Examples
- 玄学。Wèi-Jìn shíqī de xuán xué duì hòushì zhéxué yǐngxiǎng hěn dà.The Neo-Daoism of the Wei-Jin period greatly influenced later philosophy.
- 玄学，。Tā shuō de nàxiē xuán xué, gēnběn jiù shì míxìn.That mysticism he talks about is nothing but superstition.
- 玄学，。Bú yào zhěngtiān gǎo zhèxiē xuán xué, duō xué diǎn kēxué zhīshi ba.Don't dabble in that mysticism all day; learn some scientific knowledge instead.
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