译本 (yì běn) — translated version (of a book, document, etc.); translation (as a published text)

Definition

A 译本 is a translated text published as its own work — a complete translation of a book or document. Unlike 翻译, which refers to the act or process of translating, 译本 names the translated product itself.

noun
translated version (of a book, document, etc.)translation (as a published text)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 译本。
    Zhè běn yì běn de fān yì zhì liàng hěn gāo.
    The translation quality of this version is very high.
  • 译本。
    Tā bǐ jiào le yuán wén hé yì běn de chā yì.
    He compared the differences between the original text and the translated version.
  • 译本。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō de yīng yì běn hěn shòu huān yíng.
    The English translation of this novel is very popular.

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.

译yìtranslate
本běnedition

译 is translation and 本 is a book or edition, so it is the translated version of a text.

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 譯; 译 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
睪
睪yì譯yì
Same sound today

The traditional form 譯 uses 言 (say) with 睪 for its sound; the simplified 译 is a later shorthand.

Open 译 →

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

本 adds a stroke at the bottom of a tree shape to mark the roots, giving the sense of foundation or original.

Open 本 →

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