拼写 (pīn xiě) — to spell (a word); to write or transcribe using Hànyǔ Pīnyīn

Definition

As a verb, 拼写 means 'to spell' a word — letters in sequence, not characters written by hand. Refers specifically to roman-alphabet spelling (e.g. English) and to Hanyu Pinyin transcription of Chinese.

verb
to spell (a word)to write or transcribe using Hànyǔ Pīnyīn

Examples

  • 拼写？
    Nǐ néng gào sù wǒ zhè ge cí zěn me pīn xiě ma?
    Can you tell me how to spell this word?
  • 拼写。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng lǐ yǒu jǐ chù pīn xiě cuò wù.
    There are several spelling errors in this essay.
  • ，拼写。
    Xué xí hàn yǔ shí, xiān xué pīn xiě zài xué hàn zì huì gèng róng yì.
    When learning Chinese, it's easier to learn pinyin spelling first and then characters.

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.

拼pīnassemble
写xiěwrite

拼 means assemble and 写 means write, together refer to spelling by writing symbols.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
并
并bìng拼
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 拼, the left part 扌 shows a hand, and the right part 并 gives the sound.

Open 拼 →

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 寫; 写 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
舄
舄xì寫xiě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 寫 combines 宀 with 舄 for the sound; this note is about 寫, not the simplified 写.

Open 写 →
Appears in
Language

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