委托书 (wěi tuō shū) — power of attorney (document); trust deed

Definition

A formal written document that authorizes someone else to act on your behalf. Common types include a power of attorney (授权代理) and a trust deed (信托契约).

noun
power of attorney (document)trust deed
Measure word · 份

Examples

  • 委托书，。
    Tā qiān le yí fèn wěi tuō shū, ràng lǜ shī dài tā chǔ lǐ fáng chǎn.
    He signed a power of attorney, authorizing the lawyer to handle the property on his behalf.
  • 委托书。
    Bàn lǐ zhè ge shǒu xù xū yào tí gōng wěi tuō shū yuán jiàn.
    You need to provide the original power of attorney to process this procedure.
  • 委托书。
    Zhè fèn wěi tuō shū de yǒu xiào qī shì sān nián.
    This trust deed is valid for three years.

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.

委托entrust
委wěientrust托tuōentrust
联合Side by side
书shūdocument

“委托” names entrusting, and “书” names a document, so it is a document for entrusting.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚ
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé委wěi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

委 has 女 under 禾. 女, a woman, is the meaning part, and 禾 gives the sound.

Open 委 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
乇
乇tuō托tuō
Same sound today

托 is built from 手 (hand) and 乇, which gives the sound tuō.

Open 托 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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