法案 (fǎ àn) — bill; proposed law; statute; enacted law

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.

法fǎlaw
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.

Open 法 →

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 →
Appears in
Government & PoliticsLaw & Justice

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