花边新闻 (huā biān xīn wén) — gossip news; sensational or trivial news (especially about celebrities)

Definition

Tabloid-style celebrity gossip or trivial news, often about entertainment figures. Pairs naturally with the entertainment industry (娱乐圈) and contrasts with serious current affairs (时事新闻).

noun
gossip newssensational or trivial news (especially about celebrities)

Examples

  • 花边新闻，。
    Tā zhī kàn huā biān xīn wén, cóng lái bú kàn shí shì xīn wén.
    He only reads gossip news and never watches current affairs.
  • ，花边新闻。
    Nà jiā bào zhǐ wèi le xiāo liàng, zǒng ài dēng yì xiē wú liáo de huā biān xīn wén.
    That newspaper, in order to boost sales, always likes to run some无聊 gossip news.
  • 花边新闻。
    Yú lè quān de huā biān xīn wén měi tiān dōu zhàn jù gè dà wǎng zhàn tóu tiáo.
    Entertainment gossip news dominates the headlines on major websites every day.

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.

花边lace
花huāflower边biānedge
偏正Modifier + head
新闻news
新xīnnew闻wénheard
偏正Modifier + head

The decorative edge idea of 花边 and the news idea of 新闻 together name gossip or sensational items.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

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 聞; 闻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén聞wén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 聞, 門 supplies the sound and 耳 is an ear; this explanation is about 聞, not the simplified 闻.

Open 闻 →

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