献词 (xiàn cí) — congratulatory message; dedication (speech or written message)

Definition

A written or spoken message of dedication or congratulation, often at the front of a book (like a dedication) or at a ceremony. Distinct from 祝词, which is mainly a formal congratulatory speech at events.

noun
congratulatory messagededication (speech or written message)

Examples

  • 献词。
    Tā zài xīn nián wǎn huì shàng fā biǎo le rè qíng yáng yì de xiàn cí.
    He delivered a warm and enthusiastic congratulatory message at the New Year's party.
  • 献词。
    Zhè běn shū de xiàn cí shì zuò zhě xiě gěi qī zi de.
    The dedication of this book was written by the author to his wife.
  • 献词。
    Zǒng tǒng de xiàn cí biǎo dá le duì quán guó rén mín de zhù fú.
    The president's congratulatory message expressed blessings to the people of the whole country.

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.

献xiànoffered
词cíwords

“献” means offered and “词” means words, giving a dedication message.

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 獻; 献 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
鬳
鬳yàn獻xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獻 combines 鬳, which gives the sound, with 犬, a dog. The simplified 献 is a later shorthand.

Open 献 →

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 詞; 词 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
司
司sī詞cí(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 詞 uses 言, meaning speech, and 司 to show how it was pronounced; the simplified 词 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 词 →

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