劝学 (quànxué) literally means 'to urge or exhort study' — combining 劝 ('to advise, persuade, encourage') and 学 ('to study, to learn'). Though grammatically it resembles a verb phrase, in modern usage it functions almost exclusively as a formal noun, most famously as the title of Xunzi’s classical essay 'Exhortation to Study', which passionately argues for the transformative power of persistent learning and self-cultivation.

The term carries strong literary, philosophical, and educational connotations. It is rarely used in casual speech but appears in academic writing, educational slogans, school mottos, and discussions about traditional Chinese pedagogy. When used independently, it evokes ideals of diligence, moral improvement through learning, and the Confucian emphasis on lifelong self-refinement — not merely acquiring knowledge, but cultivating virtue and wisdom.