撰 (zhuàn): to compose; to write

Meanings

1 to compose; to write
2 to compile

Characters

撰

zhuàn

to compose; to write

Examples

HSK 7-9

他花了三年撰写这本史书。

Tā huā le sān nián zhuànxiě zhè běn shǐshū.

He spent three years writing this history book.

HSK 7-9

教授受邀为本书撰序。

Jiàoshòu shòu yāo wèi běn shū zhuàn xù.

The professor was invited to write the preface for this book.

Tips

usage

撰 is a formal word for writing, common in 撰写 (to author) and 撰稿 (to write a manuscript). It suits books, articles and reports, not casual notes.

Components

radical

扌 shǒu

hand

The left-side hand radical, action form of 手. Writing and compiling are done by hand with a brush, so this radical fixes 撰 as an act of composition.

phonetic

巽 xùn

compliant; the Xun trigram

Supplies the sound; xùn shifted to zhuàn. The trigram meaning does not enter the word, only the reading, the same role 巽 plays in 馔 and the variant forms of 撰.

Stroke Order

撰 zhuàn

Related Words

撰写 zhuànxiě HSK 7-9 #19,813

to write; to compose (a text) / to author

撰稿人 zhuàngǎorén #21,774

contributor / author (of a manuscript) / writer / correspondent

杜撰 dùzhuàn #23,332

to fabricate / to make up / to invent (a story or claim) / unfounded

编 biān HSK 4 #1,436

to compile; to edit / to compose; to write / to weave; to braid

著 zhù #4,865

to write; to compose / outstanding; notable / literary work; book

作 zuò HSK 6 #700

to do; to engage in / to write; to compose / to pretend; to feign / to regard as; to consider to be / to be; to act the part of / to feel (itchy, nauseous) / writings; works

写作 xiězuò HSK 3 #4,860

writing / to write / to compose

写 xiě HSK 1 #269

to write / to compose; to author / to depict; to describe

著作 zhùzuò HSK 4 #12,426

literary work; writings / to write; to compose (a book)

组成 zǔchéng HSK 2 #4,138

to make up; to compose / to constitute