样书 (yàng shū) — sample book; sample copy

Definition

A sample copy of a book given to authors, reviewers, or bookstores before or at publication — not for sale, but to showcase the final printed product.

noun
sample booksample copy
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 样书。
    Chū bǎn shè sòng le yì běn yàng shū gěi zuò zhě.
    The publishing house sent a sample copy to the author.
  • 样书。
    Zhè běn yàng shū de fēng miàn shè jì hěn hǎo kàn.
    The cover design of this sample book is very nice.
  • 样书。
    Qǐng bǎ yàng shū fàng zài shū jià shàng.
    Please put the sample book on the bookshelf.

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.

样yàngsample
书shūbook

样 gives sample and 书 gives book, so the word means a book kept as a sample.

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 樣; 样 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
羕
羕yàng樣yàng
Same sound today

For 样, the traditional form 樣 pairs 木 (wood) with 羕 as a sound part.

Open 样 →

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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