清单 (qīng dān) — list (of items), checklist | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A written list of items to be bought, done, or checked. Less formal than 目录 (catalog/table of contents), and more concrete than 谱 (a systematic chart or register).

noun

list (of items)checklist

Measure word · 张

Examples

清单。
Qǐng bǎ xū yào mǎi de dōng xī liè yí gè qīng dān.
Please make a list of things that need to be bought.
清单？
Chū fā qián nǐ hé duì guò xíng li qīng dān ma?
Did you check the luggage list before departure?
清单。
Zhè shì míng tiān de huì yì yì chéng qīng dān.
This is the agenda list for tomorrow's meeting.

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.

清 and 单 combine to mean a clear list of items or entries.

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.

氵青清

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng清qīng

Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Abstract Concepts 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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