回执 (huí zhí) — receipt; acknowledgment (of receipt)

Definition

A 回执 is a written acknowledgment that a document or package has been received — typically a slip the recipient signs and returns, not a sales receipt (发票).

noun
receiptacknowledgment (of receipt)
Measure word · 张
Easily confused

Examples

  • 回执。
    Qǐng qiān shōu zhè fèn huí zhí.
    Please sign for this receipt.
  • 回执。
    Tā shōu dào le yì fēng guà hào xìn de huí zhí.
    He received an acknowledgment for the registered letter.
  • 回执。
    Gōng sī yāo qiú suǒ yǒu wén jiàn dōu yào fù shàng huí zhí.
    The company requires all documents to have a receipt attached.

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.

回huíreturn
执zhíhold

回 marks the returned slip, and 执 refers to the held proof or acknowledgment.

Characters in this word

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

回 comes from a drawing of a spiral, showing something turning around.

Open 回 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 執; 执 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔criminal / handcuffs
  • 丮丮jǐhand

The traditional form 執 shows 㚔, a handcuffed criminal, with 丮, a hand, giving the idea of arrest. The simplified 执 is a later shorthand, so its current parts are not the original pieces.

Open 执 →

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