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翻译 (fān yì) — (verb) to translate; to interpret; (noun) translation; interpretation; translator; interpreter

Definition

The general, everyday word for 'translate/translation' (verb and noun). 翻 alone is informal and usually means 'flip/search', while 译 is a formal synonym used mainly in compounds (翻译 itself). The noun also means 'translator'.

verb
to translateto interpret
noun
translationinterpretationtranslatorinterpreter
Measure word · 个, 位, 名

Examples

  • 翻译？
    Nǐ néng bāng wǒ bǎ zhè duàn wén zì fān yì chéng yīng wén ma?
    Can you help me translate this text into English?
  • 翻译。
    Zhè piān zhōng wén fān yì dú qǐ lái hěn zì rán.
    This Chinese translation reads very naturally.
  • 翻译。
    Tā shì yí wèi jīng yàn fēng fù de fān yì.
    She is an experienced translator.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

翻fāntranslate
译yìtranslate

'翻' and '译' both express converting language, together naming translation.

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 譯; 译 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
睪
睪yì譯yì
Same sound today

The traditional form 譯 uses 言 (say) with 睪 for its sound; the simplified 译 is a later shorthand.

Open 译 →
Appears in
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