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内务部 (nèi wù bù) — Ministry of Internal Affairs

Definition

noun
Ministry of Internal Affairs

Examples

  • 。
    Tā céng zài nèi wù bù gōng zuò.
    He once worked at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • 内务部。
    nèi wù bù Fù zé guó nèi de zhì ān hé xíng zhèng guǎn lǐ.
    The Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible for domestic public security and administrative management.
  • 内务部。
    Xīn shàng rèn de nèi wù bù bù zhǎng fā biǎo le jiǎng huà.
    The newly appointed minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs gave a speech.

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.

内务internal affairs
内nèiinternal务wùaffairs
偏正Modifier + head
部bùdepartment

内务 means internal affairs, and 部 means department or ministry.

Characters in this word

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

  • 入入rùto enter
  • 冂冂jiōnghouse

The shape shows 入 entering into 冂, a house, so it pictures bringing something indoors, giving the sense inside.

Open 内 →

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 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →

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
邑邑yì
Sound part声符shēngfú
咅
咅pǒu部bù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Open 部 →
Appears in
Government & Politics

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