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电子书 (diàn zǐ shū) — e-book, electronic book

Definition

An e-book is a complete book in digital form you read on a screen. 电子版 is broader — any digital version of a text, not just a book.

noun
e-bookelectronic book
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 电子书。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì běn diàn zǐ shū.
    I bought an e-book.
  • 电子书。
    Tā xǐ huan yòng shǒu jī kàn diàn zǐ shū.
    He likes to read e-books on his phone.
  • 电子书。
    Zhè běn diàn zǐ shū hěn pián yi.
    This e-book is very cheap.

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.

电子electronic
电diànelectric子zǐparticle
偏正Modifier + head
书shūbook

电子 gives the idea of electronic, and 书 means book, forming a book in electronic form.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →
Appears in
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