批注 (pī zhù) — to annotate, to comment on (a text)

Definition

A scholarly verb for adding written commentary or notes to a text. Often interchangeable with 注释, but 批注 leans more toward a reader's or editor's personal comments and remarks, while 注释 focuses on explanatory notes for difficult content.

verb
to annotateto comment on (a text)

Examples

  • 批注。
    Jiào shòu zài zhè piān gǔ wén shàng zuò le hěn duō pī zhù.
    The professor made many annotations on this classical text.
  • ，批注。
    Qǐng zǐ xì yuè dú quán wén, bìng zài páng biān pī zhù nǐ de xiǎng fǎ.
    Please read the full text carefully and annotate your thoughts next to it.
  • 批注。
    Zhè fèn wén jiàn xū yào xiān pī zhù cái néng tí jiāo.
    This document needs to be annotated first before submission.

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.

批pīcomment
注zhùannotate

The actions 批 (comment) and 注 (annotate) work together to mark a text with notes.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
比
比bǐ批pī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

批 puts 手 (hand) beside 比, which gives the sound.

Open 批 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
主
主zhǔ注zhù
Same sound today

注 combines 水, meaning water, with 主, which gives the sound.

Open 注 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.