法案 (fǎ àn) — bill; proposed law; statute; enacted law | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

法案 refers to a formally drafted piece of legislation — a bill being considered or a statute that has been enacted. Compared with the general word 法律 ('law' as a whole system), 法案 points to a specific legislative document.

noun

billproposed lawstatuteenacted law

Measure word · 个

Examples

法案。
Zhè ge fǎ àn zhèng zài yì huì tǎo lùn zhōng.
This bill is currently being discussed in parliament.
。
Xīn fǎ àn jiāng yú míng nián yī yuè shēng xiào.
The new law will take effect in January next year.
法案。
Yì huì tōng guò le zhè xiàng zhòng yào de fǎ àn.
Parliament passed this important bill.

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.

案ànproposal

法 gives the idea of law, while 案 gives a written proposal, together yielding a bill or statute.

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

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid

Sound part声符shēngfú

盍

盍hé法fǎ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木安案

Meaning part形符xíngfú

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.

Appears in

Government & Politics Law & Justice

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