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卷子 (juàn zi) — examination paper, test paper; (ancient) scroll, book roll

Definition

卷子 has two distinct senses: 'exam paper / test' (the everyday modern meaning) and 'scroll / book roll' (classical, for handwritten texts). It is not the same as 试卷, which refers only to test papers.

noun
examination papertest paper(ancient) scrollbook roll
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 卷子，。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì de juàn zi hěn nán, hěn duō tóng xué dōu méi zuò wán.
    This exam paper was very hard; many students didn't finish it.
  • 卷子，。
    Tā zài tú shū guǎn zhǎo dào le yí juàn gǔ dài de juàn zi, shàng miàn xiě mǎn le fán tǐ zì.
    He found an ancient scroll in the library, covered with traditional Chinese characters.
  • 卷子，。
    Lǎo shī bǎ juàn zi fā xià lái, ràng dà jiā jiǎn chá zì jǐ de fēn shù.
    The teacher handed out the test papers for everyone to check their scores.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

卷juànroll
子zǐnoun ending

卷 carries the core meaning of a rolled paper, and 子 completes the familiar noun for an examination paper.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
卩卩jiékneeling person
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢍏
𢍏𢍏卷juàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 卷, 卩 shows a kneeling person, while 𢍏 gives the sound and may also suggest bending or rolling, as in a reel of books.

Open 卷 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
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