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国务院 (Guó wù yuàn) — State Council (the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China); State Department (the U.S. federal executive department responsible for foreign affairs)

Definition

In Chinese, 国务院 refers to the State Council of the PRC (head of the central government, led by the Premier). U.S. readers may know "State Department," but in Chinese that is 美国国务院, not the PRC's cabinet.

noun
State Council (the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China)State Department (the U.S. federal executive department responsible for foreign affairs)

Examples

  • 国务院。
    Guó wù yuàn De zǔ chéng bāo kuò zǒng lǐ hé gè wèi bù zhǎng.
    The State Council consists of the Premier and various ministers.
  • 国务院。
    Měi guó Guó wù yuàn fù zé wài jiāo shì wù.
    The U.S. State Department is responsible for foreign affairs.
  • 国务院。
    Guó wù yuàn De fā yán rén dìng qī jǔ xíng xīn wén fā bù huì.
    The State Council spokesperson holds regular press conferences.

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.

国务state affairs
国guóstate务wùaffairs
偏正Modifier + head
院yuàncouncil

国务 and 院 together name the council that handles state affairs.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →

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
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
完
完wán院yuàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

院 is built from 阝, written in full as 阜, and 完, which gives the sound.

Open 院 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Government & Politics

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