合写 (hé xiě) — to co-author, to write jointly

Definition

Verb meaning to co-author or write a single text jointly. Often paired with the particle 由 / 是…的 to name the co-authors.

verb

to co-authorto write jointly

合写。
Tā men liǎng rén hé xiě le yì běn xiǎo shuō.
The two of them co-authored a novel.
合写。
Zhè piān lùn wén shì yóu sān wèi jiào shòu hé xiě de.
This paper was co-written by three professors.
合写。
hé xiě De zuò pǐn xū yào tǒng yī fēng gé.
Co-written works need a unified style.

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.

合héjointly

合 (jointly) describes how the 写 (writing) is done.

Characters in this word

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

亼口合

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

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 寫; 写 is its simplified writing.

宀舄寫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀mián

Sound part声符shēngfú

舄

舄xì寫xiě

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 寫 combines 宀 with 舄 for the sound; this note is about 寫, not the simplified 写.