甄别 (zhēn bié) — to screen (applicants, candidates); to discriminate (tell apart, distinguish); to reexamine (a case, evidence)

Definition

A formal verb meaning to screen or distinguish carefully among many items to pick out the genuine or qualified ones — common in contexts like applicant screening, artifact authentication, and case reexamination.

verb
to screen (applicants, candidates)to discriminate (tell apart, distinguish)to reexamine (a case, evidence)

Examples

  • 甄别。
    Gōng sī xū yào zhēn bié yìng pìn zhě de bèi jǐng.
    The company needs to screen applicants' backgrounds.
  • 甄别。
    Zhuān jiā zhèng zài zhēn bié zhè xiē wén wù de zhēn wěi.
    Experts are distinguishing the authenticity of these artifacts.
  • 甄别。
    Fǎ yuàn jué dìng duì zhè ge àn jiàn chóng xīn zhēn bié.
    The court decided to reexamine this case.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

甄zhēnexamine
别biédistinguish

甄 and 别 both mean examine/distinguish, together form screen.

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
瓦瓦wǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
垔
垔yīn甄zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

甄 is built from 瓦, a tile or pottery piece, as the meaning part, and 垔 as the sound part.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 別; 别 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 別 pairs 冎 (bone) with 刀 (knife), showing a knife cutting up bone and flesh. The simplified 别 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 别 →

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