留言簿 (liú yán bù) — guestbook; visitors' book

Definition

noun

guestbookvisitors' book

Measure word · 本

留言簿。
Qǐng zài zhè běn liú yán bù shàng xiě xià nín de míng zì hé yì jiàn.
Please write your name and comments in this guestbook.
留言簿。
Bó wù guǎn rù kǒu chù yǒu yì běn liú yán bù gòng yóu kè liú yán.
There is a guestbook at the museum entrance for visitors to leave messages.
，留言簿。
Hūn lǐ jié shù hòu, bīn kè men zài liú yán bù shàng xiě mǎn le zhù fú.
After the wedding, the guests filled the guestbook with blessings.

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.

留言leave a message

动宾Verb + object

留 means leave, 言 means message, and 簿 is a book; a book for leaving messages.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

卯

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

留 combines 田 (field) with 卯, which gives the sound.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

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

竹溥簿

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

溥

溥pǔ簿bù

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

簿 used for book, pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 溥; 竹 is the meaning part and 溥 gives the sound.