新法 (xīn fǎ) — new law; new method

Definition

noun
new lawnew method

Examples

  • 新法。
    xīn fǎ De bān bù yǐn qǐ le shè huì gè jiè de tǎo lùn.
    The promulgation of the new law sparked discussion across all sectors of society.
  • 新法。
    Gōng sī cǎi yòng le yì zhǒng xīn fǎ lái tí gāo shēng chǎn xiào lǜ.
    The company adopted a new method to increase production efficiency.
  • 新法。
    Zhè xiàng xīn fǎ zài shí yàn shì zhōng dé dào le yàn zhèng.
    This new method was verified in the laboratory.

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.

新xīnnew
法fǎlaw

新 (new) and 法 (law or method) together mean a new law or new method.

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.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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