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领事馆 (lǐng shì guǎn) — consulate

Definition

A consulate is the office representing a country in a foreign city, headed by a consul (领事). An 使馆 (embassy) is larger, based in the capital, and handles diplomatic relations.

noun
consulate
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 领事馆。
    Wǒ míng tiān yào qù lǐng shì guǎn bàn qiān zhèng.
    I need to go to the consulate tomorrow to handle my visa.
  • 领事馆，。
    lǐng shì guǎn Zài shì zhōng xīn, zuò dì tiě jiù néng dào.
    The consulate is downtown, you can get there by subway.
  • 领事馆。
    Zhè jiā lǐng shì guǎn chǔ lǐ zhōng guó gōng mín de shì wù.
    This consulate handles affairs for Chinese citizens.

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.

领事consul
领lǐngto lead事shìaffairs
动宾Verb + object
馆guǎnbuilding

领事 names a consul, and 馆 is the place where its work is done, giving a consul's office.

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 領; 领 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng領lǐng
Same sound today

The traditional form 領 has 令 as a sound part and 頁 as a meaning part; the simplified 领 is a later shorthand.

Open 领 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Open 事 →

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 館; 馆 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
飠Written in full as食shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
官
官guān館guǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 館 is made of 食, written as 飠 on the left, and 官 on the right; 官 provides the sound. The simplified 馆 is a later shorthand.

Open 馆 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6International & Diplomacy

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