辩护律师 (biàn hù lǜ shī) — defense lawyer; defense attorney

Definition

'辩护律师' specifically denotes the lawyer who defends the accused (被告) in a criminal or civil case, arguing for their side in court.

noun
defense lawyerdefense attorney
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 辩护律师。
    Bèi gào qǐng le yí wèi jīng yàn fēng fù de biàn hù lǜ shī.
    The defendant hired an experienced defense lawyer.
  • 辩护律师。
    biàn hù lǜ shī Zài fǎ tíng shàng tí chū le yǒu lì de zhèng jù.
    The defense attorney presented strong evidence in court.
  • 辩护律师。
    Zhè wèi biàn hù lǜ shī wèi kè hù zhēng qǔ dào le wú zuì pàn jué.
    This defense lawyer won an acquittal for the client.

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.

辩护defense
辩biànargue护hùprotect
联合Side by side
律师lawyer
律lǜlaw师shīmaster
偏正Modifier + head

辩护 (defense) and 律师 (lawyer) combine to mean a lawyer who defends.

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 辯; 辩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
辡
辡biàn辯biàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 辯 pairs 言, meaning say, with 辡, which gives the sound; the simplified 辩 is a later shorthand.

Open 辩 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
户
户hù护hù
Same sound today

护 combines 扌 (the hand form 手) with 户, which gives the sound hù.

Open 护 →

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
聿
聿yù律lǜ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

律 puts 彳 beside 聿: 彳 is the part tied to the meaning, and 聿 is the part tied to the sound.

Open 律 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 師; 师 is its simplified writing.

  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤
  • 帀帀zā

The traditional form 師 combines 𠂤 and 帀; the simplified 师 is not the form explained here.

Open 师 →
Appears in
Law & JusticeProfessions & Jobs

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.