专着 (zhuān zhù) — monograph

Definition

专着 (zhuānzhe) is an academic monograph — a detailed, in-depth scholarly work focused on a single specialized topic, longer and more rigorous than a 论文.

noun
monograph
Measure word · 本
Easily confused

Examples

  • 专着。
    Tā huā sān nián shí jiān wán chéng le yí bù zhuān zhù.
    He spent three years completing a monograph.
  • 专着。
    Zhè běn zhuān zhù duì táng dài jīng jì shǐ yǒu shēn rù fēn xī.
    This monograph provides an in-depth analysis of Tang dynasty economic history.
  • 专着。
    Tú shū guǎn shōu cáng le dà liàng guān yú liàng zǐ wù lǐ de zhuān zhù.
    The library holds a large collection of monographs on quantum physics.

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.

专zhuānspecialized
着zhewritten work

专 means specialized, and 着 denotes a written work.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 專; 专 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 專 shows 又, a hand, turning 叀, a spindle; this came to mean gathering several things into one.

Open 专 →

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 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

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