特许权 (tè xǔ quán) — franchise (exclusive right to operate a business under a brand); concession; license (exclusive right granted by an authority)

Definition

A noun for an exclusive business right granted by a government or authority — e.g. to run a branded outlet or a public service. Best translated as 'franchise' or 'concession', not 'patent' (a patent is 专利).

noun
franchise (exclusive right to operate a business under a brand)concessionlicense (exclusive right granted by an authority)

Examples

  • 特许权。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī huò dé le jī chǎng de cān yǐn tè xǔ quán.
    This company obtained the airport's food service concession.
  • 特许权。
    Zhèng fǔ shòu yǔ le diàn xìn tè xǔ quán gěi zhè jiā qǐ yè.
    The government granted the telecommunications franchise to this enterprise.
  • 特许权。
    Shēn qǐng yí xiàng tè xǔ quán xū yào hěn cháng shí jiān de shěn pī.
    Applying for a concession requires a long approval process.

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.

特许special permission
特tèspecial许xǔgrant
偏正Modifier + head
权quánright

特 'special' and 许 'grant' make a special permission, and 权 'right' turns it into an exclusive right.

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
牛牛niúox
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì特tè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

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 許; 许 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech; words
Sound part声符shēngfú
午
午wǔ許xǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 許 pairs 言, meaning speech or words, with 午 for its sound; 许 is a simplified form.

Open 许 →

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 權; 权 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn權quán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 權 shows 木, a tree, with 雚 giving the sound; it named a kind of tree and was used for a standard weight. The simplified 权 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 权 →

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