翻录 (fān lù) — to pirate (recordings), to make unauthorized copies of audio/video

Definition

翻录 (fānlù) means to copy an existing recording, usually without permission — used for pirating audio or video. Focuses on the act of re-recording or duplicating media, not on distributing it.

verb
to pirate (recordings), to make unauthorized copies of audio/video

Examples

  • 翻录。
    Tā yīn wèi fān lù diàn yǐng bèi pàn le xíng.
    He was sentenced for pirating movies.
  • 翻录。
    Gōng sī jìn zhǐ yuán gōng fān lù gōng sī nèi bù de péi xùn zī liào.
    The company prohibits employees from duplicating internal training materials.
  • 翻录，。
    Zhè zhāng zhuān jí bèi fān lù le, xiāo liàng shòu dào le yǐng xiǎng.
    This album was pirated, and sales were affected.

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.

翻fāncopy
录lùrecord

翻 means to copy over and 录 means to record, so the word describes copying audio or video.

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
羽羽yǔwings
Sound part声符shēngfú
番
番fān翻fān
Same sound today

翻 pairs 羽 (wings) with 番, which gives the sound. The shape shows something fluttering.

Open 翻 →

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 錄; 录 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù錄lù
Same sound today

The traditional form 錄 combines 金 (metal) with 彔, which gives the sound; the simplified 录 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 录 →

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