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原版 (yuán bǎn) — original edition, original version

Definition

The 'original' edition or version of a work (book, album, film) — i.e. as first released, before any reprint, translation, dub, or adaptation. Often contrasted with 配音版, 复印版, or 译本.

noun
original editionoriginal version

Examples

  • 原版，。
    Zhè běn xiǎo shuō wǒ mǎi de shì yuán bǎn, bú shì fù yìn bǎn.
    I bought the original edition of this novel, not a photocopied version.
  • 原版。
    Zhè zhāng zhuān jí de yuán bǎn xiàn zài yǐ jīng hěn nán mǎi dào le.
    The original edition of this album is now hard to find.
  • ，。
    Diàn yǐng yuán bǎn shì yīng wén de, pèi yīn bǎn yě bú cuò.
    The original version of the movie is in English; the dubbed version is also good.

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.

原yuánoriginal
版bǎnedition

“原” (original) specifies the kind of “版” (edition).

Characters in this word

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

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

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
片片piàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
反
反fǎn版bǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

版 is formed by 片 and 反, with 片 contributing the sense and 反 the sound.

Open 版 →
Appears in
Reading & Writing

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