书屋 (shū wū) — study (room), studio

Definition

Literary, elegant word for a small study or reading room — more bookish than 书房, which is the everyday term. Often used in names of bookstores or reading spaces.

noun
study (room)studio
Measure word · 间

Examples

  • 书屋。
    Tā měi tiān xià wǔ dōu zài shū wū lǐ dú shū xiě zuò.
    He reads and writes in his study every afternoon.
  • 书屋，。
    Zhè jiān shū wū suī rán bú dà, dàn bù zhì dé hěn yǎ zhì.
    Although this study is not big, it is elegantly arranged.
  • 书屋。
    Tā bǎ yì jiān kòng fáng gǎi zào chéng le shū wū.
    He converted an empty room into a study.

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.

书shūbook
屋wūroom

书 refers to books and 屋 to a room, so a room for books or study.

Characters in this word

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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
室室shìroom
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡉉
𡉉𡉉屋wū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

屋 comes from 室, meaning room, with 𡉉 for sound; its upper part later changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 屋 →

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