难民署 (nàn mín shǔ) — UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Ref…

Definition

Short for 联合国难民事务高级专员公署, the UN refugee agency. The common abbreviation used in news and official contexts.

noun

UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)

难民署。
nàn mín shǔ Zhèng zài wèi nàn mín tí gōng jǐn jí yuán zhù.
UNHCR is providing emergency aid to refugees.
难民署。
Zhè wèi guān yuán dài biǎo nàn mín shǔ chū xí le huì yì.
This official attended the meeting on behalf of UNHCR.
难民署。
nàn mín shǔ Hū yù gè guó jiē nà gèng duō de nàn mín.
UNHCR calls on countries to accept more refugees.

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.

难民refugees

偏正Modifier + head

难民 (refugee people) and 署 (office) form an agency for refugees.

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 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

隹隹zhuībird

Sound part声符shēngfú

暵

暵hàn難nán

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

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The early form of 民 shows an eye pierced by a sharp cross-shaped implement, possibly linked to an injured or unclear eye.

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

罒者署

Meaning part形符xíngfú

罒Written in full as网wǎngnet

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

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

署 shows a net 罒 for its meaning, and uses 者 to give its sound.