预展 (yù zhǎn) — preview (of an exhibition); to preview an exhibition

Definition

A preview held before a public exhibition, auction, or product launch, so invited guests or the press can see it first. As a verb, it means to hold or attend such a preview.

preview (of an exhibition)to preview an exhibition

Examples

  • 预展。
    Zhè chǎng huà zhǎn de yù zhǎn míng tiān kāi shǐ.
    The preview of this painting exhibition starts tomorrow.
  • 预展。
    Wǒ men zuó tiān yù zhǎn le zhè cì zhǎn lǎn.
    We previewed this exhibition yesterday.
  • 预展。
    Gōng sī wèi xīn chǎn pǐn zhǔn bèi le yù zhǎn.
    The company prepared a preview for the new product.

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.

预yùin advance
展zhǎnexhibition

预 means beforehand and 展 means an exhibition, so this names a preview.

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 預; 预 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
予
予yǔ預yù
Same sound today

The traditional form 預 combines 予 for the sound and 頁 for the meaning; the simplified 预 is a later shorthand.

Open 预 →

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
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧝑
𧝑𧝑展zhǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

展 is built from 尸 and 𧝑. The 𧝑 part points to fine red silk clothes and also contains the idea of opening or extending.

Open 展 →

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