阅 (yuè) — (bound form) to read; to go over (as in 阅读, 阅览); (bound form) to inspect; to review (as in 检阅, 审阅); (bound form) to experience; to go through (as in 阅历)

Definition

阅 (yuè) is a bound morpheme meaning 'to read / inspect' — it never stands alone, only appearing inside compounds like 阅读 (read), 审阅 (review/approve a document), or 阅历 (life experience).

bound form
to readto go over (as in 阅读, 阅览)to inspectto review (as in 检阅, 审阅)to experienceto go through (as in 阅历)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Duō yuè dú kě yǐ zēng jiā nǐ de zhī shi.
    Reading more can increase your knowledge.
  • ，。
    Tā de yuè lì fēi cháng fēng fù, qù guò hěn duō guó jiā.
    His life experience is very rich; he has been to many countries.
  • 阅，。
    Lǎo shī zhèng zài yuè juàn, míng tiān huì gōng bù chéng jì.
    The teacher is grading the papers; results will be announced tomorrow.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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 閱; 阅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門mén
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì閱yuè
Same sound today

The traditional form 閱 pairs 門, a gate, with 兌, a part that gives the sound; the simplified 阅 is a shorthand.

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