请愿书 (qǐng yuàn shū) — petition (written document) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal written petition, typically addressed to a government or official body. In everyday use, 联名信 covers informal group letters, while 请愿书 implies an organized public appeal, usually signed by many people.

noun

petition (written document)

Measure word · 份

Examples

请愿书。
Tā men xiàng zhèng fǔ dì jiāo le yí fèn qǐng yuàn shū.
They submitted a petition to the government.
请愿书。
Chāo guò yí wàn rén zài zhè fèn qǐng yuàn shū shàng qiān le míng.
Over ten thousand people signed this petition.
请愿书。
Zhè fèn qǐng yuàn shū yāo qiú gǎi shàn gōng rén de gōng zuò tiáo jiàn.
This petition demands better working conditions for workers.

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.

请愿petition

请qǐngrequest愿yuànwish

动宾Verb + object

书shūdocument

请 means request, 愿 means wish, and 书 means document; 请愿书 is a written petition.

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 請; 请 is its simplified writing.

言青請

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng請qǐng

Same sound today

In the traditional form 請, 言 shows it relates to speaking, and 青 gives the sound; the simplified 请 is a later shorter form.

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

原心愿

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

原

原yuán愿yuàn

Same sound today

愿 places 心 (heart) below 原, which supplies the sound yuán; the 心 part marks the sense of heart or feeling.

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

聿聿yùwriting brush

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

者zhě書shū

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

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

Government & Politics

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