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书籍 (shū jí) — books; works

Definition

A collective/formal word for 'books,' used in written contexts. 图书 is the everyday term (especially in libraries and bookstores); 著作 refers to a single authored work.

noun
booksworks
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 书籍。
    Yuè dú shū jí kě yǐ kāi kuò yǎn jiè.
    Reading books can broaden one's horizons.
  • 书籍。
    Tā shōu cáng le hěn duō guān yú lì shǐ de shū jí.
    He has collected many books about history.
  • 书籍。
    Zhè xiē shū jí dōu shì jīng diǎn zhù zuò.
    These books are all classic works.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

书shūbook
籍jírecord/book

书 and 籍 both refer to books or records, together giving a general name for books.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
耤
耤jí籍jí
Same sound today

籍 pairs 𥫗 (bamboo, written as 竹) with 耤 for the sound. The bamboo part is for bamboo census books.

Open 籍 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Reading & Writing

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