禁书 (jìn shū) — banned book | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

banned book

Measure word · 本

禁书。
Zhè běn shū yīn wèi nèi róng mǐn gǎn bèi liè rù le jìn shū míng dān.
This book was put on the banned book list because of its sensitive content.
禁书，。
Tú shū guǎn lǐ yǒu yí gè jìn shū zhuān qū, hěn shǎo duì wài kāi fàng.
There is a banned book section in the library that is rarely open to the public.
禁书。
Lì shǐ shàng hěn duō jìn shū hòu lái dōu chéng wéi le jīng diǎn.
Many banned books in history later became classics.

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.

禁jìnprohibit/banned

禁 (prohibit/banned) + 书 (book) = a book that is prohibited.

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.

林示禁

Meaning part形符xíngfú

示示shìaltar

Sound part声符shēngfú

林

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

禁 has 林 above 示, an altar. The 林 part gives the sound, and the altar part connects the character to taboo or restricted matters.

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

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.