诗作 (shī zuō) — poetic works; poetry (as a body of work)

Definition

noun

poetic workspoetry (as a body of work)

诗作。
Zhè wèi shī rén de shī zuō shēn shòu dú zhě xǐ ài.
This poet's works are deeply loved by readers.
诗作，。
Tā yì shēng chuàng zuò le dà liàng shī zuō, fēng gé duō yàng.
He created a large number of poetic works throughout his life, with diverse styles.
诗作。
Zhè bù xuǎn jí shōu lù le táng dài zuì yōu xiù de shī zuō.
This anthology collects the finest poetic works of the Tang Dynasty.

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.

诗 means poetry and 作 means work, together giving poetic works.

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 詩; 诗 is its simplified writing.

言寺詩

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspeech

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì詩shī

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

The traditional form 詩 combines 言 (speech) with 寺 as a sound part, because poetry is a kind of speech; the simplified 诗 is a later abbreviation.

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

亻乍作

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

乍

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

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.