英文版 (yīng wén bǎn) — English edition; English version (of a book, do…

Definition

noun

English editionEnglish version (of a book, document, software, etc.)

Measure word · 个

英文版。
Wǒ mǎi le yì běn zhè běn xiǎo shuō de yīng wén bǎn.
I bought an English edition of this novel.
英文版。
Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn de yīng wén bǎn yǐ jīng fā bù le.
The English version of this software has been released.
英文版？
Nǐ néng bǎ zhè fèn wén jiàn fān yì chéng yīng wén bǎn ma?
Can you translate this document into the English version?

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.

英文English

英yīngEnglish文wénwriting/language

偏正Modifier + head

英文 specifies the language of 版, giving an English edition.

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.

艹央英

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

央

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

英 pairs 艹 (grass) with 央, which gives the sound.

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

The current form 文 shows a man with head, arms, legs, and chest; the tattoo marks on the chest are no longer drawn.

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

片反版

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

反

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

版 is formed by 片 and 反, with 片 contributing the sense and 反 the sound.