专著 (zhuān zhù) — monograph; specialized text (academic work)

Definition

noun

monographspecialized text (academic work)

Measure word · 本

Easily confused

专著。
Zhè piān zhuān zhù duì gǔ dài jīng jì zuò le shēn rù yán jiū.
This monograph conducts in-depth research on ancient economies.
专著。
Tā de zhuān zhù bèi duō jiā tú shū guǎn shōu cáng.
His monograph has been collected by many libraries.
专著。
Chū bǎn yì zhuān zhù xū yào jǐ nián shí jiān.
Publishing a monograph takes several years.

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zhuānspecialized

著zhùwritten work

“专” means specialized, and “著” is a written work, so “专著” is a work devoted to one subject.

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.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

著 pairs 艸 (grass or plants) with 者 as the sound part.

Appears in