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卷宗 (juàn zōng) — folder, file, dossier

Definition

A 卷宗 is a bound case file or dossier (often legal), measured with 本. It refers to a physical or organized collection of documents, not a general folder.

noun
folderfiledossier
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 卷宗。
    Lǜ shī bǎ suǒ yǒu de zhèng jù dōu fàng zài zhè ge juàn zōng lǐ.
    The lawyer put all the evidence in this dossier.
  • 卷宗。
    Jǐng chá zhèng zài chá kàn nà jiàn àn zi de juàn zōng.
    The police are reviewing the case file.
  • 卷宗。
    Zhè xiē juàn zōng xū yào zhěng lǐ yí xià.
    These files need to be organized.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

卷juànfile
宗zōngfile; case

Both 卷 and 宗 refer to stored documents or cases, so together they mean a file.

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.

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.

Open 卷 →

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 示示shìspirit tablet

宗 pairs 宀, a house, with 示, a spirit tablet, to show an ancestral shrine or temple.

Open 宗 →
Appears in
Law & Justice

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