编辑 (biān jí) — (verb) to edit, to compile; (noun) editor, compiler

Definition

As a verb, 编辑 means 'to edit/compile' a text (article, document); 编写 focuses on writing content from scratch. As a noun, it means the person who edits — an editor.

verb
to editto compile
noun
editorcompiler
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 编辑。
    Tā zhèng zài biān jí yì piān wén zhāng.
    He is editing an article.
  • 编辑。
    Zhè wèi biān jí hěn yǒu jīng yàn.
    This editor is very experienced.
  • 编辑。
    Qǐng bāng wǒ biān jí yí xià zhè fèn wén jiàn.
    Please help me edit this document.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

编biāncompile
辑jíarrange

编 and 辑 both mean to arrange or compile; together they express editing.

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 編; 编 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
扁
扁biǎn編biān
Same sound today

The traditional form 編 pairs 糸 (thread), for knitting a book together, with 扁 as the sound part; the simplified 编 is only a shorthand.

Open 编 →

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 輯; 辑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
咠
咠qì輯jí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輯 pairs 車 (vehicle) with 咠, which gives the sound; the simplified 辑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 辑 →
Appears in
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