规范 (guī fàn) — (noun) norm, standard, specification; (adjectiv… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Covers both a norm/standard (noun) and the act of standardizing (verb), plus the adjective sense 'standard, regular.' Compare 规定 (a rule someone sets) and 标准 (a benchmark or criterion).

noun

normstandardspecification

adjective

standardnormativeregular

verb

to regulateto standardize

Examples

规范。
Zhè xiē jì shù guī fàn hěn xiáng xì.
These technical specifications are very detailed.
规范。
Tā de xíng wéi bù guī fàn.
His behavior is not standard.
规范。
Zhèng fǔ xū yào guī fàn shì chǎng zhì xù.
The government needs to regulate market order.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

规 means rule and 范 means model, together indicating a standard or norm.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 規; 规 is its simplified writing.

夫見規

夫夫fūhusband
見見jiànsee

The simplified 规 is a shorthand; the traditional form 規 shows a cross-shaped compass in its early drawing, and its later form uses 夫 and 見.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

氾

氾fán范fàn

Same sound today

范 pairs 艸 (grass) with 氾, which gives its sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts Order & Arrangement

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