归档 (guī dàng) — to file (documents), to archive

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to file / archive' documents, used in office and administrative contexts. Treat 归 as the main verb and 档 as its object — the two can separate (归了档, 归一下档).

verb

to file (documents)to archive

Examples

归档。
Qǐng bǎ zhè xiē wén jiàn guī dàng.
Please file these documents.
。
Zhè xiē zī liào yǐ jīng guī le dàng.
These materials have already been filed.
归档。
Gōng sī yāo qiú suǒ yǒu hé tong dōu yào guī dàng.
The company requires all contracts to be filed.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

归guīput back

档dàngfile

归 suggests putting something back, and 档 is the file, so the word means to place documents on file.

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 歸; 归 is its simplified writing.

𠂤帚歸

𠂤𠂤𠂤ancient form of {{zh-l|*師|troops}}
帚帚zhǒubroom; sweep

The traditional form 歸 combines 𠂤 (troops) and 帚 (broom; sweep) to show sweeping away an enemy and returning; the simplified 归 is a later abbreviation.

Open 归 →

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 檔; 档 is its simplified writing.

木當檔

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

當

當dāng檔dàng

Same sound today

The traditional form 檔 pairs 木, a tree, with 當 as the sound part. The simplified 档 is an abbreviation of 檔.

Open 档 →