教案 (jiào àn) — lesson plan, teaching plan; (historical) missionary case, an incident involving foreign missionaries

Definition

A 教案 is a teacher's written lesson plan. The historical sense — a 教案 in late Qing/Republic usage — refers to a 'missionary case,' an incident involving foreign missionaries used as a pretext for anti-foreign action.

noun
lesson planteaching plan(historical) missionary case, an incident involving foreign missionaries
Measure word · 份

Examples

  • 教案。
    Lǎo shī shàng kè qián yí dìng yào xiě hǎo jiào àn.
    Teachers must write a good lesson plan before class.
  • 教案，。
    Zhè fèn jiào àn shè jì dé hěn xiáng xì, shì hé chū jí xué shēng.
    This lesson plan is very detailed and suitable for elementary students.
  • 教案。
    Lì shǐ kè shàng lǎo shī jiǎng le yí gè qīng mò de jiào àn.
    In history class, the teacher talked about a missionary case from the late Qing dynasty.

Origin

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.

教jiàoteach
案ànplan/case

The 教 'teach' specifies the kind of 案 'plan/case'.

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
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
安
安ān案àn
Same sound today

案 pairs 木, a wood/tree shape, with 安, which is used for its sound.

Open 案 →

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