闲书 (xián shū) — light reading; leisure books; books for entertainment

Definition

Books read purely for fun, with no study or work purpose — the opposite of 课本 or 学习用书. Often carries a slightly disapproving tone, suggesting time that could be better spent.

noun
light readingleisure booksbooks for entertainment
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 闲书，。
    Tā píng shí xǐ huan kàn xián shū, yóu qí shì wǔ xiá xiǎo shuō.
    He usually likes to read light reading, especially wuxia novels.
  • 闲书，。
    Kǎo shì qián bié zǒng kàn xián shū, duō fù xí kè běn.
    Don't always read leisure books before exams; spend more time reviewing your textbooks.
  • 闲书，。
    Zhè běn xián shū xiě dé hěn yǒu yì si, wǒ liǎng tiān jiù kàn wán le.
    This light read is very interesting; I finished it in just two days.

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.

闲xiánleisure
书shūbook

闲 means leisure, and 书 means books, giving light reading.

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 閒; 闲 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 閒 puts 月 (moon) inside 門 (door), as if moonlight peeks through a door; this picture gives the idea of a gap or space. The simplified 闲 is a later abbreviation.

Open 闲 →

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.

Open 书 →

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