抄件 (chāo jiàn) — copy, duplicate

Definition

抄件 is a formal, written term for a duplicate or copy of a document, typically used in official or business contexts. Differs from 副本 in that 抄件 emphasizes a hand-copied or text-reproduced duplicate rather than a certified counterpart.

noun
copyduplicate
Measure word · 份

Examples

  • ，抄件。
    Qǐng bǎ zhè fèn wén jiàn fù yìn yí fèn, gěi wǒ yí gè chāo jiàn.
    Please make a copy of this document and give me one.
  • 抄件。
    Wǒ shōu dào le nǐ fā de diàn zǐ yóu jiàn chāo jiàn.
    I received the email copy you sent.
  • 抄件。
    Zhè fèn chāo jiàn xū yào zhǔ guǎn qiān zì què rèn.
    This copy needs the manager's signature for confirmation.

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.

抄chāocopy
件jiàndocument

抄 (copy) and 件 (document) mean a copied document or duplicate.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
少
少shǎo抄chāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

抄 combines 扌 (hand) with 少, which supplies the sound.

Open 抄 →

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

件 is made of 人, 'man', and 牛, 'cow'.

Open 件 →

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