编辑部 (biān jí bù) — editorial department

Definition

noun
editorial department
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zài biān jí bù gōng zuò.
    He works in the editorial department.
  • 编辑部。
    Wǒ men biān jí bù shōu dào le hěn duō dú zhě lái xìn.
    Our editorial department received many letters from readers.
  • 编辑部。
    Zhè ge biān jí bù fù zé chū bǎn zá zhì.
    This editorial department is responsible for publishing the magazine.

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.

编辑edit
编biānedit辑jíarrange
联合Side by side
部bùdepartment

编辑 (editorial work) and 部 (department) combine to mean an editorial department.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 輯; 辑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
咠
咠qì輯jí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輯 pairs 車 (vehicle) with 咠, which gives the sound; the simplified 辑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 辑 →

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
邑邑yì
Sound part声符shēngfú
咅
咅pǒu部bù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Open 部 →

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