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开篇 (kāi piān) — (noun) introductory song in táncí (a traditional storytelling form); (noun) opening chapter; introduction (of a written work)

Definition

Literary/traditional term for the 'opening' of a written or performed work. Specifically refers to the introductory song of 弹词 (táncí) storytelling, and more generally the opening chapter or introduction of a book or paper.

noun
introductory song in táncí (a traditional storytelling form)opening chapterintroduction (of a written work)

Examples

  • 开篇。
    Zhè duàn tán cí de kāi piān fēi cháng hǎo tīng.
    The introductory song of this táncí piece is very pleasant to hear.
  • 开篇。
    Zhè běn shū de kāi piān jiù xī yǐn le dú zhě.
    The opening chapter of this book attracts readers right away.
  • 开篇。
    Lùn wén de kāi piān xiān jiè shào le yán jiū bèi jǐng.
    The introduction of the paper first describes the research background.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

开kāiopen
篇piānpiece/chapter

开 “open” acts on 篇 “piece/chapter”, giving the opening part.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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
竹竹zhú
Sound part声符shēngfú
扁
扁biǎn篇piān
Same sound today

篇 combines 竹 with 扁: 竹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 扁 is the part used for the sound.

Open 篇 →
Appears in
Literature & Poetry

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