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复习 (fù xí) — to review, to revise (study material)

Definition

复习 is to review material already studied (lessons, vocabulary) — for an upcoming test. 预习 is what you do before class; 自习 is studying on your own. Both mean studying, not editing.

verb
to reviewto revise (study material)
Measure word · 次

Examples

  • 复习。
    Wǒ míng tiān yào fù xí shēng cí.
    I will review new words tomorrow.
  • 复习。
    Tā měi tiān huí jiā dōu fù xí kè wén.
    She reviews the lesson every day when she gets home.
  • 复习。
    Nǐ men zài kǎo shì qián yīng gāi hǎo hǎo fù xí.
    You should review well before the exam.

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.

复fùagain
习xípractice

复 means 'again' and 习 means 'practice', giving 'practice again'.

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 復; 复 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 复 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (复习, 恢复) it is 復; in others (复印, 复杂) (答复, 反复) it is 複 or 覆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù復fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 復 combines 彳, a walking part, with 复, a sound part, to show walking back and forth.

Open 复 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 習; 习 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 習 pairs 羽 (wings) with 日 (sun), showing a bird learning to fly; the simplified 习 is a later shorthand.

Open 习 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3HSK 2.0 Level 3Classroom & Study

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