卷 (juàn) — (noun) scroll; volume; book (in a series); (noun) examination paper; (classifier) for scrolls, books, paintings: volume, scroll
Definition
卷 (juàn) is a literary/archival word for a scroll, volume, or section of a book — pairs with 本 as a classifier but for bound or ancient works. In school contexts 卷 also means 'exam paper' (see 试卷).
noun
scrollvolumebook (in a series)examination paper
classifier
for scrollsbookspaintings: volumescroll
Measure word · 卷
Examples
- 卷。Tā jiā lǐ shōu cáng le yí juàn táng dài de gǔ huà.His home collects a scroll of Tang Dynasty painting.
- 卷。Zhè tào bǎi kē quán shū yí gòng yǒu shí èr juàn.This encyclopedia set has twelve volumes in total.
- 卷。Zhè cì kǎo shì de juàn bǐ shàng cì nán duō le.This exam paper is much harder than last time.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
卩卩jiékneeling person
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢍏
𢍏𢍏卷juàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
In 卷, 卩 shows a kneeling person, while 𢍏 gives the sound and may also suggest bending or rolling, as in a reel of books.
Appears in
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