TongTong
Sign in

专栏 (zhuān lán) — column (regular feature in a newspaper, magazine, or online publication)

Definition

A regular signed column by a specific writer in a newspaper or magazine. Differs from 栏目, which is a general section or segment of a publication or broadcast.

noun
column (regular feature in a newspaper, magazine, or online publication)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 专栏。
    Tā zài bào zhǐ shàng kāi le yí gè zhuān lán.
    He started a column in the newspaper.
  • 专栏。
    Zhè ge zhuān lán tǎo lùn shè huì rè diǎn wèn tí.
    This column discusses hot social issues.
  • 专栏。
    Wǒ měi zhōu dōu kàn tā de zhuān lán.
    I read her column every week.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

专zhuānspecial
栏láncolumn

“专” means special, and “栏” is a column, so “专栏” is a column reserved for a topic.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 專; 专 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 專 shows 又, a hand, turning 叀, a spindle; this came to mean gathering several things into one.

Open 专 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 欄; 栏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán欄lán
Same sound today

In the traditional form 欄, 木 (wood) shows the meaning and 闌 supplies the sound; the simplified 栏 is a later shorthand.

Open 栏 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Media & News

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.