卷轴 (juàn zhóu) — scroll (for Chinese painting or calligraphy); reel

Definition

A 卷轴 is a traditional hand-painted or hand-written scroll meant to be unrolled for viewing, typically mounted on a wooden roller — a cultural and historical object, not everyday paper.

noun
scroll (for Chinese painting or calligraphy)reel
Measure word · 幅

Examples

  • 卷轴。
    Zhè fú juàn zhóu shì míng dài huà jiā suǒ zuò.
    This scroll was made by a Ming dynasty painter.
  • 卷轴。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ shōu cáng le xǔ duō zhēn guì de juàn zhóu.
    The museum has collected many precious scrolls.
  • 卷轴。
    Tā xiǎo xīn yì yì dì bǎ juàn zhóu zhǎn kāi.
    He carefully unrolled the scroll.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

卷juànscroll
轴zhóuroller

The 卷 (scroll) and 轴 (roller) together name a rolled painting or reel.

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 →

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 軸; 轴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcart, carriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu軸zhóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軸 pairs 車 (cart) with a part that gives the sound, 由; it pictures an axle passing through a cartwheel. The simplified 轴 is a later abbreviation.

Open 轴 →
Appears in
Art & Fine Arts

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