The word "geography" 地理学 has two
parts, namely "geo" (which is the suffix forEarth 地球)
and "graph" which basically means a picture 图.
Putting the two (Earth 地球and picture) together, the word
"geography" can be thought of as "pictures of
theEarth 地球".
Geography 地理学 is often defined as thescience
科学or
study of the surface of theEarth 地球and the things
(including life) that happen on it.
Among the many tools used to study the surface
of theEarth 地球(or to study geography 地理学) are
❂maps
地图dì tú ❂ atlases
地图集dì tú jí
and ❂
globes 地球仪dì
qiú yí.