着书 (zhù shū) — to write a book | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

着书 (zhù shū) means 'to write a book' and is used as a literary, formal verb for authoring a book, often about one's life or scholarship. More elegant than the everyday 写书.

to write a book

Examples

着书。
Tā yòng le sān nián shí jiān zhù shū.
It took him three years to write a book.
着书。
Zhè wèi xué zhě yì shēng dōu zài zhù shū.
This scholar spent his entire life writing books.
着书，。
Tā tuì xiū hòu kāi shǐ zhù shū, jì lù zì jǐ de jīng lì.
After retiring, he began writing a book to record his own experiences.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

着 expresses writing, and 书 names the book that is written.

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 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

者zhě著zháo

Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

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.

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