书斋 (shū zhāi) — (formal) study, studio (for reading and writing)

Definition

A formal, literary word for a personal study or writing room — more traditional and written than 书房 (the everyday word for 'study').

noun

(formal) studystudio (for reading and writing)

书斋。
Tā de shū zhāi lǐ bǎi mǎn le gǔ shū.
His study is filled with ancient books.
书斋。
Zhè wèi zuò jiā měi tiān zài shū zhāi xiě zuò.
This writer works in his study every day.
书斋。
Lǎo xiān sheng de shū zhāi fēi cháng ān jìng.
The old gentleman's study is very quiet.

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 points to books, and 斋 is a room for reading and writing, so the whole names a 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

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.

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 齋; 斋 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

示示shìgod; deity

Sound part声符shēngfú

齊

齊qí齋zhāi

Same sound today

The traditional form 齋 pairs 示 (deity) with 齊 as a sound part; the simplified 斋 is a shorthand.