意向书 (yì xiàng shū) — letter of intent

Definition

noun

letter of intent

Measure word · 封

意向书。
Shuāng fāng yǐ jīng qiān shǔ le yì xiàng shū.
Both parties have already signed the letter of intent.
意向书。
Zhè fèn yì xiàng shū míng què le hé zuò de chū bù tiáo jiàn.
This letter of intent clarifies the preliminary conditions for cooperation.
，意向书。
Zài qiān dìng zhèng shì hé tong zhī qián, tā men xiān qǐ cǎo le yí fèn yì xiàng shū.
Before signing the formal contract, they first drafted a letter of intent.

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.

意向intent

意yìintention向xiàngdirection

联合Side by side

意向 gives the intent, and 书 names the letter or document.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

向 originally drew 宀 (house) with 口 to show an echo in a place; later it was used for direction.

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

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.