草案 (cǎo àn) — draft (of a law, plan, proposal, etc.) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

草案 is the noun for a draft document — a law, regulation, or plan not yet finalized (often paired with 征求意见稿). Distinct from 方案 ('plan/scheme'): 草案 is the written draft, 方案 is the overall plan or proposal.

noun

draft (of a law, plan, proposal, etc.)

Measure word · 份

Examples

草案。
Wěi yuán huì yǐ jīng shěn yì le zhè bù fǎ lǜ cǎo àn.
The committee has already reviewed this legal draft.
草案。
cǎo àn Hái xū yào zhēng qiú yì jiàn cái néng dìng gǎo.
The draft still needs to solicit opinions before it can be finalized.
草案。
Zhèng fǔ gōng bù le cǎo àn de quán wén yǐ jiē shòu gōng zhòng zhēng qiú yì jiàn gǎo.
The government published the public consultation version of the draft.

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.

草cǎodraft/rough

案ànproposal

"草" draft/rough and "案" proposal combine to mean a draft proposal.

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.

艹早草

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

早

早zǎo草cǎo

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

草 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 早, which gives the sound. The form originally referred to another word and was later used for the grass sense.

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

木安案

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

安

安ān案àn

Same sound today

案 pairs 木, a wood/tree shape, with 安, which is used for its sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Law & Justice

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