批文 (pī wén) — official written reply or approval document from a higher authority

Definition

A formal approval or reply document issued by a higher authority. The 批 here means 'to approve/endorse' (as in 批准), not 'to criticize' — distinct from everyday words like 文件 (any document) or 通知 (notice).

noun
official written reply or approval document from a higher authority
Measure word · 份

Examples

  • 批文。
    Shàng jí yǐ jīng pī zhǔn le zhè fèn pī wén.
    The higher authority has already approved this official document.
  • 批文。
    Děng pī wén xià lái wǒ men cái néng jì xù xià yí bù gōng zuò.
    We can only proceed to the next step after the official approval comes down.
  • 批文。
    Tā zài zǐ xì yuè dú nà fèn pī wén.
    He is carefully reading that official reply document.

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.

批pīapproval
文wéndocument

“批” names approval and “文” names document, together meaning an official approval document.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
比
比bǐ批pī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

批 puts 手 (hand) beside 比, which gives the sound.

Open 批 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The current form 文 shows a man with head, arms, legs, and chest; the tattoo marks on the chest are no longer drawn.

Open 文 →

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