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盗版 (dào bǎn) — (noun) pirated copy, pirated product (unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted material); (verb) to pirate (to illegally copy or distribute copyrighted material)

Definition

Used specifically for illegally copied or distributed copyrighted material (software, CDs, books). More concrete than the general 'illegal' adjectives 非法 and 不法, and unlike 违法 it names the act of copying, not law-breaking in general.

noun
pirated copypirated product (unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted material)
verb
to pirate (to illegally copy or distribute copyrighted material)

Examples

  • 盗版。
    Shì chǎng shàng yǒu hěn duō dào bǎn guāng pán.
    There are many pirated CDs on the market.
  • 盗版。
    Tā men yīn wèi dào bǎn ruǎn jiàn bèi pàn le xíng.
    They were sentenced for pirating software.
  • 盗版。
    Gòu mǎi dào bǎn shāng pǐn huì sǔn hài yuán chuàng zhě de lì yì.
    Buying pirated goods harms the interests of the original creators.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

盗dàosteal
版bǎnedition

盗版 pairs 盗 (steal) and 版 (edition) to mean taking an edition without permission.

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 盜; 盗 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 盜 combines 㳄 (drooling/craving) with a vessel shape, meaning to covet someone else's possessions and steal; 盗 is the simplified writing of 盜.

Open 盗 →

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
片片piàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
反
反fǎn版bǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

版 is formed by 片 and 反, with 片 contributing the sense and 反 the sound.

Open 版 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Law & Justice

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