环保局 (huán bǎo jú) — bureau of environmental protection; environment…

Definition

noun

bureau of environmental protectionenvironmental protection agency

Measure word · 个

环保局。
Wǒ qù huán bǎo jú shēn qǐng yí gè xǔ kě zhèng.
I went to the environmental protection bureau to apply for a permit.
环保局。
huán bǎo jú De gōng zuò rén yuán lái jiǎn chá le gōng chǎng.
Staff from the environmental protection bureau came to inspect the factory.
环保局。
Zhè jiā qǐ yè yīn wèi wū rǎn bèi huán bǎo jú fá kuǎn le.
This company was fined by the environmental protection bureau for pollution.

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.

环保environmental protection

环huánenvironment保bǎoprotection

偏正Modifier + head

环保 means environmental protection, 局 means bureau; together they name an agency for protecting the environment.

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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

睘

睘qióng環huán

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

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

保 originally showed a person 人 carrying a child 子 on their back, which led to the sense of protecting.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

句

Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.