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杂志 (zá zhì) — magazine

Definition

A magazine (a periodical with articles, photos, etc.). 刊物 is broader and more formal, covering journals and other periodicals. Use 本 or 份 as the measure word.

noun
magazine
Measure word · 本, 份, 期

Examples

  • 杂志。
    Wǒ mǎi le yí fèn zá zhì.
    I bought a magazine.
  • 杂志。
    Zhè běn zá zhì de nèi róng hěn yǒu yòng.
    This magazine's content is very useful.
  • 杂志？
    Nǐ kàn guò zhè yī qī zá zhì ma?
    Have you seen this issue of the magazine?

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.

杂zámixed
志zhìrecords

杂 means mixed and 志 means records, so together they name a magazine as a mixed record.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 雜; 杂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
集
集jí雜zá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 雜 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 集 as a sound part, originally referring to mixed colours, perhaps in dyed clothes; the simplified 杂 is a later shorthand.

Open 杂 →

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
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī志zhì
Same sound today

志 has 心, the heart, below and a simplified top from 之 for sound.

Open 志 →
Appears in
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