书会 (shū huì) — gathering of calligraphers; calligraphy society

Definition

A historical gathering of calligraphers and literati to write, view, and critique each other's work — a cultural/societal event, not a modern club or class.

noun
gathering of calligrapherscalligraphy society

Examples

  • 书会，。
    Zhè ge yuè yǒu yí gè shū huì, hěn duō shū fǎ jiā dōu huì lái.
    There is a calligraphy gathering this month, and many calligraphers will come.
  • 书会。
    Tā cān jiā le qù nián de quán guó shū huì.
    He attended last year's national calligraphy gathering.
  • 书会，。
    shū huì Shàng, dà jiā hù xiāng jiāo liú shū fǎ jīng yàn.
    At the gathering, everyone exchanged calligraphy experience.

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.

书shūbook
会huìgathering

书 marks calligraphy or books and 会 marks a gathering of people.

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

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