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百科全书 (bǎi kē quán shū) — encyclopedia

Definition

phrase
encyclopedia
Measure word · 本, 集

Examples

  • 百科全书。
    Zhè běn bǎi kē quán shū hěn shì hé chū xué zhě cān kǎo.
    This encyclopedia is very suitable for beginners to consult.
  • 百科全书。
    Tā huā le yí gè yuè dú wán le yì zhěng bù bǎi kē quán shū.
    He spent a month reading an entire encyclopedia.
  • 百科全书。
    Wǒ zhèng zài kǎo lǜ mǎi yí tào shí juàn de bǎi kē quán shū.
    I'm considering buying a set of ten volumes of encyclopedia.

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.

百科many subjects
百bǎimany科kēsubject
偏正Modifier + head
全书complete book
全quáncomplete书shūbook
偏正Modifier + head

百科 (many subjects) modifies 全书 (complete book), giving an encyclopedia.

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
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

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
斗斗dòumeasuring tool
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé科kē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

科 pairs 禾, which gives the hé sound, with 斗, a measuring tool.

Open 科 →

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

The shape puts 入 together with 玉 to show a whole piece of jade, so it means complete or whole.

Open 全 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Reading & Writing

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.