背书 (bèi shū) — to recite a lesson/text from memory; to endorse (a check)

Definition

背书 is a separable verb (离合词) with two distinct meanings: (1) recite/recite a text from memory (everyday school context); (2) endorse a check (banking). The verb-object can split — 背了三次书 in the examples.

verb
to recite a lesson/text from memoryto endorse (a check)

Examples

  • 背书。
    Tā xiǎo shí hou měi tiān zǎo chén dōu yào bèi shū.
    When he was a child, he had to recite lessons every morning.
  • 背书。
    Zhè zhāng zhī piào xū yào yín háng bèi shū cái néng qǔ qián.
    This check needs the bank to endorse it before you can withdraw money.
  • 。
    Nà piān gǔ wén tā bèi le sān cì shū cái jì zhù.
    He only memorized that classical text after reciting it three times from memory.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

背bèirecite
书shūtext

背 (recite) and 书 (text) give the idea of reciting a text; the check sense reads 背 as back and 书 as write.

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
月Written in full as肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
北
北běi背bèi
Same sound today

背 was first written as 北; 北 gives the sound, and 肉 (meat, written as 月 here) was added to separate it from 北’s north meaning.

Open 背 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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