记录片 (jì lù piàn) — documentary (film)

Definition

A noun for a documentary film (measure word 部). Both 记录片 and 纪录片 are standard spellings — they refer to the same thing.

noun

documentary (film)

Measure word · 部

Examples

记录片。
Zhè bù jì lù piàn jiǎng shù le zhōng guó gǔ dài de lì shǐ.
This documentary tells the history of ancient China.
记录片。
Wǒ zuì jìn kàn le yí bù guān yú huán bǎo de jì lù piàn.
I recently watched a documentary about environmental protection.
记录片。
Zhè wèi dǎo yǎn pāi le hěn duō yōu xiù de jì lù piàn.
This director has made many excellent documentaries.

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.

记录record

记jìrecord录lùrecord

联合Coordinate

片piànfilm

记 and 录 both mean to record, and 片 means film, so it is a film that records.

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 記; 记 is its simplified writing.

言己記

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspeech; words

Sound part声符shēngfú

己

己jǐ記jì

Same sound today

The traditional form 記 pairs 言 (speech; words) with 己 as a sound part; the simplified 记 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 记 →

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.

金彔錄

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 →