内部 (nèi bù) — (noun) interior; inside; internal parts | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

内部 emphasizes a structured, often organizational interior — used for a company's, party's, or system's inner workings. Spoken 里/里面 is broader and more physical; 内 is the more formal/written equivalent.

noun

interiorinsideinternal parts

Examples

内部。
Zhè ge gōng yuán de nèi bù yǒu yí gè hú.
There is a lake inside this park.
内部。
Gōng sī nèi bù de shì qing bù néng suí biàn shuō.
Internal company matters cannot be discussed carelessly.
内部。
Wǒ men xū yào liǎo jiě chǎn pǐn nèi bù de jié gòu.
We need to understand the internal structure of the product.

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.

内 ('inside') and 部 ('part') together mean the inside part.

Characters in this word

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

入入rùto enter
冂冂jiōnghouse

The shape shows 入 entering into 冂, a house, so it pictures bringing something indoors, giving the sense inside.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

咅

咅pǒu部bù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Appears in

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