备课 (bèi kè) — to prepare lessons (for teaching)

Definition

Specifically what a teacher does to get ready to teach a class. Unlike 预备 (general 'to prepare/get ready'), 备课 is limited to lesson planning.

verb

to prepare lessons (for teaching)

备课。
Lǎo shī měi tiān dōu yào bèi kè.
The teacher has to prepare lessons every day.
。
Tā bèi le yí gè xiǎo shí de kè.
She prepared lessons for an hour.
备课，。
Wǒ zhèng zài bèi kè, bié dǎ rǎo wǒ.
I'm preparing lessons right now — don't disturb me.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

The first part means prepare, and the second part means lesson, together describing a teacher preparing lessons.

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 備; 备 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 備 shows a person carrying a quiver, matching the meaning 'ready; prepared'; the simplified 备 is a later abbreviation.

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 課; 课 is its simplified writing.

言果課

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánto say

Sound part声符shēngfú

果

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 課 pairs 言 (to say) with 果 as a sound part; the simplified 课 is a shorthand and its right side is not a sound part.

Appears in