书目 (shū mù) — bibliography; booklist; catalog of titles

Definition

noun

bibliographybooklistcatalog of titles

Measure word · 本

书目。
Zhè fèn shū mù shōu lù le míng qīng liǎng dài de zhòng yào wén xiàn.
This bibliography includes important documents from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
书目。
Tú shū guǎn mén kǒu tiē zhe yì zhāng xīn shū tuī jiàn shū mù.
There is a recommended new book list posted at the library entrance.
，书目。
Yán jiū lì shǐ zhī qián, xiān chá yuè xiāng guān shū mù.
Before researching history, first consult the relevant bibliography.

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.

目mùlist/item

书 refers to books, and 目 means list or entries, so it is a list of book titles.

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

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.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.