编撰 (biān zhuàn) — to compile and write (a book, dictionary, etc.)

Definition

编撰 means 'to compile and author' a reference work like a dictionary or textbook, implying sustained scholarly effort. It is more formal and literary than 编辑, which covers editing and preparing content more broadly.

verb
to compile and write (a book, dictionary, etc.)

Examples

  • 编撰。
    Tā yòng le shí nián shí jiān biān zhuàn zhè bù cí diǎn.
    He spent ten years compiling this dictionary.
  • 编撰。
    Zhè běn lì shǐ shū shì yóu jǐ wèi zhuān jiā gòng tóng biān zhuàn de.
    This history book was jointly compiled by several experts.
  • 编撰。
    Tā biān zhuàn le yì běn guān yú zhōng guó wén huà de jiào cái.
    He compiled a textbook about Chinese culture.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

编biāncompile
撰zhuànwrite

编 means compile and 撰 means write, so the word describes compiling and writing a work.

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 編; 编 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
扁
扁biǎn編biān
Same sound today

The traditional form 編 pairs 糸 (thread), for knitting a book together, with 扁 as the sound part; the simplified 编 is only a shorthand.

Open 编 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巽
巽xùn撰zhuàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

撰 pairs 扌 (hand) with 巽, which gives the sound; the hand part relates to the meaning.

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