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礼宾 (lǐ bīn) — protocol; official etiquette

Definition

noun
protocolofficial etiquette

Examples

  • 礼宾。
    Jiǔ diàn lǐ bīn bù fù zé jiē dài guì bīn.
    The hotel's protocol department is responsible for receiving VIP guests.
  • 礼宾，。
    Tā cóng shì lǐ bīn gōng zuò duō nián, jīng yàn fēng fù.
    He has been working in protocol for many years and has rich experience.
  • 礼宾。
    Zhè cì huó dòng de lǐ bīn ān pái fēi cháng zhōu dào.
    The protocol arrangements for this event were very thorough.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

礼lǐtreat with courtesy
宾bīnguest

礼宾 means treating guests with courtesy, which became the word for official etiquette.

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 禮; 礼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
礻Written in full as示shìaltar
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ禮lǐ
Same sound today

The traditional form 禮 pairs 礻 (altar) with 豊, a sound part, for performing rites at the altar; the simplified 礼 is a later shorthand.

Open 礼 →

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 賓; 宾 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèi
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡧍
𡧍𡧍賓bīn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賓 is built from 𡧍 and 貝: 𡧍 gives the sound, and 貝 relates to the meaning. The simplified 宾 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 宾 →
Appears in
International & Diplomacy

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