书背 (shū bēi) — spine of a book | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

The narrow side of a bound book where pages are joined — the spine. Use it for the physical part only, not the cover (封面) or back cover (封底).

noun

spine of a book

Examples

书背。
Zhè běn cí diǎn de shū bēi shàng yìn zhe shū míng.
The title is printed on the spine of this dictionary.
书背，。
shū bēi Pò sǔn le, xū yào chóng xīn zhuāng dìng.
The book spine is damaged and needs to be rebound.
书背。
Tú shū guǎn lǐ měi běn shū de shū bēi dōu yǒu biān hào.
Every book in the library has a number on its spine.

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 identifies the object as a book, and 背 is its spine, giving the book's spine.

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.

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

北月背

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

北

北běi背bèi

Same sound today

背 was first written as 北; 北 gives the sound, and 肉 (meat, written as 月 here) was added to separate it from 北’s north meaning.

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