Yhdyskäsite

Yhdyskäsite is a Finnish term used primarily in philosophy, linguistics and cognitive science to refer to a concept that is formed by combining two or more sub-concepts into a single, more complex notion. The word is built from yhdys- meaning “together” or “joint” and käsite meaning “concept.”

In theoretical discussions, yhdyskäsite denotes a higher-order or composite concept that integrates multiple dimensions or aspects. It is often used to describe how meaning emerges when separate ideas are synthesized into a unified notion, rather than when a concept is understood as a simple, atomic unit. The term can help analyze interdisciplinary or multi-domain constructs that span several fields of inquiry.

The use of yhdyskäsite is relatively specialized and more common in scholarly texts than in everyday language. It may appear in debates about how complex ideas such as sustainability, digital literacy, or social-technical systems are defined and understood, especially when these ideas draw on ideas from multiple disciplines. The concept encourages attention to how constituent parts interact to form new meanings, rather than treating the whole as merely the sum of its parts.

Relation to other terms: yhdyskäsite should not be confused with yhdyssana, which is the Finnish term for a compound word formed by joining two or more words. Käsite refers to the general notion of a concept, while yhdyskäsite specifically signals a composite or integrated concept.