撰 (zhuàn): to compose; to write

Meanings

1 to compose; to write
2 to compile

Characters

撰

zhuàn

to compose; to write

Examples

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.

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 撰's variant forms.

Stroke Order

撰 zhuàn

Related Words

撰写 zhuànxiě HSK 7-9 #19,813

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

杜撰 dùzhuàn #23,332

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

撰稿人 zhuǎngǎorén #21,774

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

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