国书 (guó shū) — diplomatic credentials; official documents exchanged between nations

Definition

Formal term for the official diplomatic credentials an ambassador presents to a host head of state, or the instruments exchanged when two countries establish relations.

noun
diplomatic credentialsofficial documents exchanged between nations
Measure word · 本
Easily confused

Examples

  • 国书。
    Dà shǐ xiàng zǒng tǒng dì jiāo le guó shū.
    The ambassador presented his credentials to the president.
  • 国书，。
    Liǎng guó jiāo huàn le guó shū, biāo zhì zhe jiàn jiāo.
    The two countries exchanged credentials, marking the establishment of diplomatic relations.
  • 国书。
    Zhè fèn guó shū shì liǎng guó yǒu hǎo guān xì de zhòng yào wén jiàn.
    This credential document is an important document for the friendly relations between the two countries.

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.

国guócountry
书shūdocument

国 means country and 书 means document; together they denote official state documents.

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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.

Open 书 →

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