算术 (suàn shù) is the Chinese word for 'arithmetic' — the branch of mathematics dealing with basic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The first character 算 means 'to calculate' or 'to compute', reflecting the active process of figuring out numerical relationships. The second character 术 means 'art', 'technique', or 'method', emphasizing that arithmetic is a systematic skill rather than just rote computation. Together, 算术 refers specifically to elementary calculation methods taught in primary education and used in everyday life, such as balancing a budget or measuring ingredients.

Unlike more advanced fields like algebra (代数) or calculus (微积分), 算术 focuses on concrete numbers and practical problem-solving. It appears frequently in school contexts, math textbooks, and discussions about foundational numeracy. While sometimes used interchangeably with 数学 (mathematics) in informal speech, 算术 is narrower in scope and carries a stronger connotation of basic, operational math — especially mental or paper-and-pencil calculation.