宪法 (xiàn fǎ) — constitution (of a country)

Definition

Refers to the constitution of a country — the supreme law 国家根本大法. Distinct from 章程, which is the charter of an organization, and from 体质 (one's physical constitution/health).

noun
constitution (of a country)
Measure word · 部

Examples

  • 宪法。
    Zhè bù xiàn fǎ bǎo hù le měi gè gōng mín de quán lì.
    This constitution protects every citizen's rights.
  • 宪法。
    Guó jiā xiū gǎi xiàn fǎ xū yào jīng guò tè bié chéng xù.
    Amending the constitution requires a special procedure.
  • 宪法。
    xiàn fǎ Shì yí gè guó jiā de gēn běn fǎ lǜ.
    The constitution is the fundamental law of a country.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

宪xiànlaw
法fǎlaw

宪 (law) and 法 (law) together name the fundamental law of a country.

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 憲; 宪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡩜
𡩜𡩜憲xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 憲 pairs 心 (heart) with 𡩜, a sound component whose form depicts a punishment involving tattooing the eyes; the simplified 宪 is a later shorthand.

Open 宪 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Law & Justice

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