新版 (xīn bǎn) — new edition, new version

Definition

noun
new editionnew version

Examples

  • 新版。
    Zhè běn xīn bǎn hěn shòu huān yíng.
    This new edition is very popular.
  • 新版？
    Nǐ mǎi le zhè ge ruǎn jiàn de xīn bǎn ma?
    Did you buy the new version of this software?
  • 新版。
    Gōng sī tuī chū le chǎn pǐn de xīn bǎn.
    The company released a new version of the product.

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.

新xīnnew
版bǎnedition

新 means new and 版 means edition or version, together naming a new edition.

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.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

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
片片piàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
反
反fǎn版bǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

版 is formed by 片 and 反, with 片 contributing the sense and 反 the sound.

Open 版 →

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