版税 (bǎn shuì) — royalty (on books or other creative works) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

版税 (bǎnshuì) refers to the percentage-based royalty paid to an author or rights holder for sales of their creative work — typically a cut of revenue, not a flat fee.

noun

royalty (on books or other creative works)

Examples

版税。
Zhè wèi zuò jiā měi nián néng ná dào jǐ shí wàn bǎn shuì.
This author receives hundreds of thousands in royalties every year.
版税。
Chū bǎn shè àn xiāo shòu é de bǎi fēn zhī shí zhī fù bǎn shuì.
The publisher pays royalties at ten percent of sales revenue.
，版税。
Tā de xiǎo shuō bèi fān yì chéng duō zhǒng yǔ yán, bǎn shuì shōu rù hěn gāo.
His novel has been translated into many languages, and his royalty income is very high.

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.

版bǎnpublishing/edition

税shuìpayment/fee

版 refers to publishing or editions, and 税 points to a payment based on sales, so 版税 names royalties.

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.

片反版

Meaning part形符xíngfú

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.

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

禾兑税

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

兑

兑duì税shuì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

税 pairs 禾, a grain plant, with 兑, which gives the character its sound.

Appears in

Business & Commerce

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