增刊 (zēng kān) — (noun) supplement, special issue (of a newspape…

Definition

增刊 is a 'supplement' or 'special issue' published alongside a regular newspaper or magazine, often for a holiday or anniversary.

noun

supplementspecial issue (of a newspaper or magazine)

verb

to publish a supplement

Measure word · 期

增刊。
Zhè jiā bào shè měi nián chūn jié dōu huì chū yī qī zēng kān.
This newspaper office puts out a special issue every Spring Festival.
增刊。
Zá zhì shè wèi jì niàn chuàng kān shí zhōu nián chū bǎn le zēng kān.
The magazine published a supplement to commemorate its tenth anniversary.
增刊。
Zhè fèn bào zhǐ de zēng kān nèi róng fēi cháng fēng fù.
The content of this newspaper's supplement is very rich.

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.

刊kānpublication

增 gives increase and 刊 gives publication, together meaning supplementary issue.

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.

土曾增

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

Same sound today

增 uses 土 (earth) to show that things grow in earth or are built from earth, and uses 曾 for the sound. This gives the sense of adding or increasing.

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

刀刀dāoknife

Sound part声符shēngfú

干

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刊 uses 干 to show its sound and 刀, a knife, to show its meaning.